Puny Pet Paintings: Kenosha artist creates personalized pocket-sized creations

KENOSHA, Wis (CBS58) — When we buy art, we often gravitate toward pieces that have meaning to us.

One Kenosha artist is bringing our life-size pets into detailed pocket-sized creations.

Inside an unassuming garage in Kenosha, Don Ricchio is making miniature masterpieces.

“When you put the black in the eyes all of a sudden it comes to life," said Ricchio.

He calls them 'puny paintings'.

“It’s amazing how much detail is not needed to make it look like it," said Ricchio

Ricchio customizes his tools exactly right for the job.

“Sometimes I will take an exacto knife and cut them to a point," said Ricchio.

While Ricchio mixes his paints he finds the perfect personalized shade.

"Here's there's a little brown and you can see the dog is coming alive," said Ricchio.

Even though he has large-scale art to his name, it is his petit pieces that set him apart, all done from the comfort of his garage-turned-art gallery.

“Everything I do is here. I do all the printing here, everything I do is in here all the sales and the advertising," said Ricchio.

The pocket-sized punies were an idea proposed by his wife Bonnie.

“He does huge art, then he does murals. People do collections of his art especially the black and white that are historical, and he said people want smaller," said Bonnie Ricchio.

Ricchio's passion for art started young.

“They say I was born with a crayon in my hand," said Ricchio.

But it was not until after a 20-year career in retail that he decided to make art his life.

“It wasn't until 15 years after that I got the art bug again and I thought maybe I should home in on this and I ended up quitting the day job in a couple of years and became an artist," said Ricchio.

Ricchio says his previous career prepared him for this transition.

“I think it helped to be in retail and learning that aspect," Ricchio explained.

He says things happen exactly when they are supposed to.

“I think it helped to be in retail and learning that aspect so before when you asked me do I wish I would have done it earlier I think I was still getting schooled on doing all of this," said Ricchio.

With every painting, Ricchio always finds a way to give back.

“If the painting has something else connected to it more then, 'here’s you're painting,' To have part of it get donated back -- I do not have a particular cause so it could be the pets it could be someone raising money for something. I feel like you just have to do that," said Ricchio.

Whether it is bowling pins, saws, or puny paintings, Ricchio adds a splash of color and beauty with every brush stroke.