Dec 11, 20244 min read

Wedding Painting with a Flow Like Fine Silk : Live Art Process

This Aspen Painting left me speechless. From start to finish, there wasn't a single hiccup. You won't catch me pretending this is common. It happens once in a blue moon, but when it does, the stars align. Thoughts like, "Wow, I somehow skipped the messy stage" and "This must be my calling! Why have I ever questioned it?" push me through to the end.

The color scheme captured the day beautifully.

While positive self-talk was easy during this painting, that isn't always the case. And believe me, keeping it positive is beyond important. Wedding painting requires you to solve a series of problems in front of your client and every person they have ever loved and adored. With years of experience, you learn to keep the self-talk positive even if you are having an internal freakout. It keeps your hand steady and keeps your mind on track with the right composition and color story.

Sometimes, despite your best efforts, the messy stage lasts for longer than you'd like!

BUT, when the stars do align and the messy stage is skipped entirely, I, for one, feel lighter than air!

Paintings like this one are what keep me showing up. The feeling of creating so freely is like my own personal kryptonite.

As a quick disclaimer, EVERY piece eventually gets there. It is more a matter of how long it takes. I often compare live painting to running a marathon. Your adrenaline is pumping and you're creating as quickly, and as well, as possible. There are off days and there are days you move and fly! The difference for me, is that I can spend as much time as I deem necessary to get each piece to perfection in the studio. This is why I firmly believe in including touch ups in each live painting package. This Aspen piece required extremely minimal touch ups of the dog's faces. It took me less than 30 minutes to get this piece ready for my client. Some pieces require a full day in the studio. That disparity is why I include touch ups in each package.

I give clients the option to have their piece left the night of the event or sent to them after the fact. Again, after years of experience, this has led me to a couple conclusions.

I'm happy to leave your piece the night of your wedding IF I think it looks completely finished. I always tell clients that I will make the call at the end of the night and if the painting isn't compeltely done, I'm going to take it with me. This happened once in the 2024 season and I'm so glad I made the call to take the piece back to the studio. The bride has requested changes and I know that she would not have been happy displaying the painting as it was at the end of her wedding.
Shipping or drop off is included in each live painting package. Again, I don't believe it is on my clients to cover that cost when I decide a piece needs more work. I also have plenty of clients who opt for shipping from the beginning because most of my couples are from out of state. This particular couple currently lives in Florida despite living in Colorado for some time. Fun fact: Colorado is the second biggest market for destination weddings in the U.S. after Hawaii!

Including touch ups and shipping in my live painting packages takes off the pressure to get a piece completely done the night of the wedding. It also allows me to spend good time in the studio without stressing about how a client will handle a bill for additional time. Together, these practices help immensly with my painting process. The goal is always to have a stunning painting that my couple loves, and happily approves, by the end of the painting experience.

So, what does it look like to have a painting absolutely FLOW from start to finish? I'm glad you asked! Jordan Quinn captured the process of this piece beautifully and I'm grateful to have her stunning photos to share with you.

Photos by Jordan Quinn Photography.

Venue at Aspen Meadows Resort in Aspen, CO.

First, photos of the beautiful ceremony.