Meet the Party Animals: The Story Behind My Animal-in-Clothes Painting Series

I always loved art, and without any real career path in mind as a kid, I ended up going to art school. After graduating from VCU with a Painting & Printmaking BFA, the obvious next step was to become a professional artist, except I hadn’t been required to take a single business class so I had no idea where to start. I was also pretty burnt out from four straight years of creating art around the clock. Without much direction, and needing to actually make some money, I ended up doing secretary and office assistant work straight out of college.

For several years I made no art at all. Then my husband (then-boyfriend) took me to Napa Valley, near where he grew up in the East Bay. The beauty of that place really inspired me, and I came home knowing I wanted to start creating again. I just didn't know what to create, or how to turn it into something more than a hobby this time.

How It All Started

The answer came one night at dinner. We were at a fancy hamburger restaurant that had a giant, serious portrait of a cow hanging on the wall. Something about that image — this dignified, larger-than-life cow presiding over a room full of people eating fancy burgers — struck us both as deeply funny. We started talking about animals, their expressions, the full personalities they seem to have, and somewhere in that conversation the idea for Party Animals was born.

The first animal I painted was my Dapper Giraffe. I'd found some reference photos of giraffes that were inherently a little absurd — their necks alone are pretty hilarious taken out of context — and I knew I wanted to lean into that. It took me several months to land on the right vibe, but eventually I decided that this silly, gangly giraffe should be dressed for the most formal party imaginable. Because formal dress is, when you think about it, a little bit silly itself.

Over the next six months I painted seven more Party Animals, and in September 2017 I did my first art show, officially launching Emma Sage Fine Art into the world.

How I Give Each Animal a Personality

This is genuinely my favorite part of the whole process.

I usually start by picking the animal, sometimes based on what I think are universally beloved choices (elephants), sometimes based on animals I've personally fallen down an internet rabbit hole over (quokkas), and sometimes the animal choice comes second, after the personality idea already exists. I was absolutely set on squeezing a large animal into a turtleneck before I ever decided it would be a hippo. The hippo just turned out to be the most perfect answer.

My Hippie Quokka deserves a special mention — she's one of my most popular animals by far, and honestly, painting her was a no-brainer. After going down an online rabbit hole of quokka photos and videos I was completely obsessed. They are just the most joyful-looking creatures. That smile made the personality obvious immediately: a free spirit who is friends with everyone, and is so happy to just be at the party.

Meet the Original Party Animals

Dapper Giraffe

The original Party Animal! Giraffe necks have always made me laugh, and I knew I wanted to put something on that neck that would be surprising. A formal tuxedo felt like the perfect answer and made me giggle. This Dapper Giraffe is the most distinguished guest at the wedding, and keeps the reception silly by popping his head into everyone’s photobooth pictures.

Fancy Ostrich

There's a fierce, cute-ugliness to ostriches that have always cracked me up. Compositionally I also loved the idea of another long-necked animal, this time horizontal, with a wide hat filling the space. This Fancy Ostrich got all dressed up for the derby — pearls and all — but she is not pleased with how her bets are going.

Disco Sloth

I started thinking about theme parties with this one, and a 70s theme sounded fun. A slow animal going to the disco felt inherently funny to me. But somewhere mid-painting, after I added the gold necklace and ring, his personality shifted into something more mobster than disco. I rolled with it. This Disco Sloth came to the club to let off some steam from his secret mob boss life — he's sitting in a booth, watching everyone dance, and quietly intimidating everyone around him.

Hippie Quokka

My happiest buddy, and one of my best-sellers. After falling completely down a rabbit hole of quokka photos and videos, I knew I had to paint one. I was still in a 70s headspace after the Disco Sloth, so tie-dye felt natural, and a headband worked well for its tiny frame. The peace sign necklace was the perfect accessory to complete the look. This Hippie Quokka is a free spirit who shows up to every party, makes friends with absolutely everyone, and is just so happy to be alive.

Flapper Koala

Still on my decade party kick, I've always loved the 1920s flapper theme. Koalas feel like old souls to me, so the pairing seemed obvious. This Flapper Koala is dressed in her best feathers and shawl, on her way to the speakeasy for a night out with her friends.

Festival Elephant

I'd been wanting to paint an elephant for a while because they're beautiful, they symbolize so much, and I knew they were a crowd favorite. I wanted to put her in something pretty and light, which led me to flowers, which led me to flower crowns, which led me straight to a music festival. This Festival Elephant is having the best time at Coachella, surrounded by all her friends in matching flower crowns.

Hipster Panda

Pandas are cute, funny, and popular, so this one felt overdue. They also seem pretty chill in general, which made a casual outfit feel right. I landed on a hipster vibe with a patterned button-down and suspenders — the suspenders being a practical necessity, since with all that fluff it's hard to keep his pants up! This Hipster Panda is at a house party eating all the snacks and fully relaxing.

Suave Hippo

As I mentioned earlier, I got an idea to squeeze a large animal into a turtleneck. When thinking about all the possible options, the hippo seemed both doable and extremely hilarious. Getting the proportions right took some effort, but once I figured it out I had an absolute blast painting him. This Suave Hippo is hosting a party on his yacht, working the room and networking like it's his job.

Hawaiian Lion

We decided to move to Los Angeles when I started this painting, so I wanted to lean into the California spirit. A lion felt right for a surfer vibe, and I landed on a puka shell necklace and a Hawaiian shirt with surfboards on it — which I quickly regretted because it took forever to paint! This Hawaiian Lion just finished a day on the waves and is now at a beach bonfire with all his surfer friends.

Party Llama

The final Party Animal in the original series, and one I designed with a few intentional callbacks. The long neck nods to the Dapper Giraffe, my very first animal. The 90s denim jacket and striped shirt nods to my decade party animals, except 90s fashion is back in style now, so it's less costume and more just current. And the buttons on the jacket include a Party Animals pin and pins of the Disco Sloth and Hippie Quokka, my two best-sellers at the time. This Party Llama is, simply, the life of the party.

Why Animals in Clothes?

My goal has always been simple: make people smile.

Art is supposed to make you feel something, and in a world that can feel relentlessly heavy, I just want people to have a moment of genuine happiness when they look at something I've made. When I first came up with the idea for Party Animals, I hoped it would resonate, but the response has been beyond anything I imagined.

My favorite reaction is when someone looks at one of my animals and says something like "oh, that looks exactly like my Uncle Joe!" When the personality of a painted animal is so recognizable that it reminds someone of a real human in their life, it always makes my day.

I also wanted to make art that was genuinely accessible. That's why alongside original paintings I sell prints in all sizes, as well as greeting cards and magnets, because I never want cost to be the reason someone can't bring a little joy into their home. When a customer sends me a photo of a Party Animal magnet on their fridge, or a print on their kid's bedroom wall, it makes everything worth it. This is art made for everyday life: for living rooms, nurseries, kids' rooms, and for making someone laugh when they unwrap a gift.

The Series Keeps Growing

I rounded out the original series with my Party Llama, and for now I've closed that chapter. In the meantime I've been happily exploring new series: Dogs in Glasses, Cats in Tiny Hats, Animals in Hollywood, and wherever else my animals decide to take me next.

Becoming a mother also inspired a natural evolution of the original series: the Baby Party Animals, which depicts the baby version of each original animal. I completed six of these little ones before life with two kids took over and other paintings started calling my name. Maybe one day I'll finish all ten to match the originals. We'll see.

Browse the full Party Animals collection here.

Bring a Party Animal Home

Original paintings and prints are available for purchase, reach out for more information on what's currently available. And if you've ever wanted your own pet painted in their best party attire, I do custom pet portraits too. Because every animal deserves their moment.