A Day Behind The Scenes
Preparing and executing a live event
It all began with an idea to paint full time. I was that artsy kid growing up, and I always wanted to make a living from making beautiful art. Who could have thought that after 20 years of painting fine art that something fun would be the thing that is making that dream a reality?
Weddings are one of my favorite events to do live work at because everyone is happy and I get to hear the most wonderful stories of how people met. The music, the food, the laughter just fills my cup! I may sit in the background working all night, but I listen and laugh along.
But what is my world like getting ready for an event? How do I manage to paint under so much pressure? stick around and I’ll tell you!
My Home Studio
My studio at home is where all the magic starts. Oddly enough a successful wedding, especially with over 100 guests takes a full day of prep before hand. Plus its often the day after as well!
I prepare in advance by finding out how many guests there are, how many couples, how many singles, and I pre sketch as much as I can. In an ideal world, I am so ready that all I need to add is hair, the dress and accessories and BOOM done!
Next I have to get myself and supplies ready, then its off to the event! There is always a huge team around, setting up for the reception: planners, photographers, florists, event staff…. what a zoo! The bride is getting ready, the groom is chilling somewhere, and this chaos before the ceremony gets me all fired up! I get my table set up and get ready to greet the guests. I have this lovely skirt I had made for weddings, so at the artist you cant miss me!
Once I’m set up, I head over to the ceremony and start snapping my pics that I will use for the paintings. This is a really important step as I really need to catch 99% of people as they enter for the ceremony. This is so I don’t miss anyone! By working from photos, guests can enjoy their evening leisurely so they don’t need to stand around while painting happens. Once I have my photos, I rush back to the reception area and start the painting of the bride and groom! I like to get that done first so that guests can see what they each get to take home.
If its a big event, over 80ppl I do have an assistant or two who can help me. AKA: husband, mom and bestie! I’ve roped everyone close to me into this so I can make wedding dreams happen! But its a fun night for us, and all my close people get a crash course in how to paint with watercolors! I do all the sketching, outlining and difficult dresses, but the team are great at helping me with the easy stuff.
One of my biggest claims to fame is that I make sure ALL families get a painting. I hate the idea that anyone misses out, so even if all the paintings don’t get done on the night of the wedding I still paint the next day and deliver the rest. No one wants to be left out, which is another reason photos are so much better to work from. I also tend to work a little larger then other artists. My natural style is curvy and bubbly and fun, so I just roll with it. I have been asked to do certain styles, and of course I try my best to accommodate my brides but the way I draw is the way I draw…. can’t fight the moonlight.
The Result is the Reward
The rest of the night kinda goes like you would expect: I paint like a crazy lady, have a bite, hang with people I love while they add glitter to everything and by 11pm we are so spent we cant draw straight!
Painting under pressure is not for everyone. People stop to chat, photos needs to be taken for social, you have a deadline, and people are counting on you. I have been painting long enough that I trust my hand and I think that is the biggest thing. If a line isn’t perfect, if one color bleeds into another, you have to shake it off and keep pushing through.
The best part for me is seeing a full table at the end of the night and people stopping by to guess who is who. The more they say “THAT’S So-N-So!!” I know I nailed it.
All in all painting live in the Okanagan is such a treat! I love living here and the fact that we are one of the biggest wedding destinations in North America is testament to the skilled people who live and work in the valley. I am always impressed by the quality of events here, and I try my best to be worthy of the amazing vendors I work alongside. I am a bit of a newbie, only having done wedding for one season so far; but I hope to be painting live here for many years to come. I move into 2025 with gratitude for the brides, grooms, and planners who put their faith in me to pull off art miracles!