Barry Nub News aims to support our community, promoting shops, businesses, charities, clubs and sports groups.

We will be profiling some of these businesses and organisations in a feature called 'Up Close in Barry'.

We spoke to 19-year-old Morgan Hall, who started her pet portrait business during lockdown.

It's impossible not to love these pet portraits: they're full of personality and ridiculously cute.

Morgan Hall, took up painting to pass the time during the first UK-wide lockdown, thinking it would just be a new hobby.

The 19-year-old was put on furlough from her job at Specsavers, and turned to art as it was something she had always wanted to try.

"My mum and grandma are artists, so I've grown up with that kind of background, in an environment with painters," said Morgan.

"I couldn't find anything else to do during lockdown that I enjoyed, so I thought I'd just try it and get on with something.

"I didn't feel very confident and didn't think I was any good, but I spent so much time in lockdown doing it, and really got into it.

Morgan started doing watercolour illustrations and doodles, and some acrylic abstract pieces.

She posted pictures of her work on Instagram, and was pleasantly surprised when she received messages from people wanting to buy her work.

After selling her first pieces, Morgan was inspired by 'pet portraits' populating Instagram and wanted to try it herself.

"I saw loads of people doing pet portraits on Instagram and decided to have a go," she said.

"I have a dog myself, a chihuahua named Sunny and I found that I really liked doing the portraits.

"My friend's dog had to be put down during lockdown, so I painted one for her as a memorial and she loved it."

Morgan's can-do attitude has payed off: now she has people messaging her for commissions of their pets.

Customers send a private message to Morgan on Instagram or Facebook, with a picture of their pet or pets that they would like to be painted.

Portraits cost £22 alone, or £30 with a frame in either black, white or natural wood.

A portrait takes a couple of days, as Morgan likes to gradually add details to her work.

"Sometimes I do multiple pets in one picture, which takes a bit longer. I spend time getting their fur colour exactly right or adding in favourite toys," said Morgan.

"I do an outline in pencil, then add the details with fine-liner pens, and add watercolour on top.

"Doing it after adds a really nice sheen onto the picture itself, so it looks like a fur coat."

Morgan has been pleasantly surprised with how her portraits have taken off. This is her first business venture, and following the positive feedback hopes to set up an Etsy page for her work.

"I've never done anything like this before. I've always wanted to, so I just started by showing it to friends and family, and then it has gone from there online.

"I only started the page a month or two ago, so it's something good that has come out of lockdown.

Morgan hopes her portraits can be used as gifts to stay connected during the firebreak lockdown.

"They're very personal, so I think that makes them a thoughtful gift that can cheer people up while we're separated," she said.

Find out more by following Morgan Isla Art on Instagram and Facebook .