An oasis among sagebrush and grassy meadows, this ranch wedding was one of my favorites to paint.
A series of back roads led me through working ranches, dogwoods lining beautiful creeks, old barns, and eventually a couple of family homes belonging to Lanna's mother's side of the family. They were led West by way of the family patriarch and his influence is certianly felt through the generations.
Lanna and Max set out to create a beautiful wedding utilizing the various spaces the ranch had to offer. Their wedding was equipped with mountain views for the ceremony, a tent reception beside a meadow, and an incredible barn for vendor meals, which is absolutely worth mentioning!
My easel was set up on a wooden porch overlooking the beautiful ceremony site. The scent of sagebrush, a warm breeze, and looming mountains in the distance would all somehow make it into this piece. Capturing the "warm breeze" would be quite difficult, but it's always worth a try.
I was able to drive the mile from the ceremony site to the reception tent and take a walk (with painitng in tow) past aspen trees and purple lupine. As simple as it is, a nature walk and transition to a new space is the perfect reset for the second stage of live painting.
The goal of cocktail hour and the reception is always to focus on the couple and any additional people they would like in the piece. I had a vision for Lanna and Max based off of the video I was able to capture of their first kiss. If you can believe it, this moment showed the warm breeze and I knew it would make the composition come to life.
As I began to block in the couple, Lanna's veil became a main character in the piece. This painting came together with immense ease - not always the case! By the end of the night, I knew I would have studio edits to make, but they would be minor.
I took photos of the piece beside the meadow, said goodbye to the lovely couple, and the team who made it all a reality. A quiet, windows down drive back through the ranches and meadows to my hotel was the perfect night cap.
All credit goest to the team. Together, we create beautiful things.
Planning & Rentals: @alpenglowevents Floral: @brambleandbloomfloral
Photo: @thirdeyephotographycb
Bar: @thehorsefeather
Hair & Makeup: @kyoungdaymaker
Cake: @blue_sky_baking
Catering: @crestedbuttecateringcompany
Videography: @weddingvideoscolorado
Ceremony & Cocktail Hour Music: @hansentj
DJ: @verumlux_dj
Beverage Burros: @betterdayburro
Lounges & Benches: @sagerentals
Stationary: @luckyonion
Kelsey Shields is an artist based outside of Denver, Colorado. She specializes in landscape painting, which often leads her to stunning weddings backdroped by Colorado's picturesque landscapes.
Live guest illustrations and live canvas paintings are available.
Inquire at kelseyshieldsart.com
#livepainting #crestedbuttewedding #coloradoweddingpainting #destinationwedding #mountainwedding #artwedding #livepainter #coloradolivepainter #uniquewedding
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