Live Bands (Baby Stay With Me Tonight!)

Music never fails to get the party started. I’m always happy to hear a good DJ working out at a celebration. A live band is an extra treat I look forward to. I’ve painted while listening to some great bands at weddings. At my first Island wedding gig JEFFREY OSBORN came for a large wedding celebration at Lambert’s Cove Inn. He performed his soul hits with a great backup band and it was electrifying. And then there was CHICAGO. (No, not a tribute band!) They are still going strong.

Chicago played at an American Heart Association Gala fundraiser.

Spring wedding at Rosecliff

The Newport wedding ceremony ended, and as often happens near the ocean, a soft May fog was settling on the grounds of this stately mansion. The guests were invited Inside the nineteenth-century ballroom, where chandeliers and amber uplights cast a warm glow over everything.

Country Inn

In the middle of summer I traveled to Durham, New Hampshire, where Sarah and Blake were getting married in the garden at the Thompson Inn and Cyderhouse. The Post-and-beam barn with a huge stone fireplace set the stage for a real country wedding reception.

Natural Lighting!

Willowdale Estate in Topsfield, MA is a turn-of-the-century fieldstone country estate. It was a beautiful Saturday in early June. Just in time for Liz and Jeremy’s first dance the setting sun filtered into the reception tent, turning everything to gold.

A Lawn is Nice

Frederick Law Olmstead’s landscape design provided extra inspiration for a ceremony at Moraine Farm in Beverly, MA in mid July. A sweet garden house, and dramatic sunlight and shade!  

A Summer to Savor

Kristina and Zach’s live wedding painting is rekindling memories of their August celebration at the Chatham Bars Inn, Cape Cod. They mused out loud about the confetti on the floor and their little nephew looking longingly at the wedding cake. Details can mean everything!

Witnessing a Union

Once in a while I have the opportunity to paint a wedding ceremony instead of a reception. The ceremony is a beautiful ritual—brief, and full of meaning. I can almost see the nervous energy, anticipation, and promise in the air!

Washburn Pavilion on the Charles River, Museum of Science, Boston MA

I will take time to observe and absorb the experience, and then paint my immediate impressions on the canvas. All the emotions, the music, the friends and relations, the light, the surroundings, all combine to create a single harmonious whole. Of course, there will be formal photos and snapshots that capture many special moments.

However, a painting of the ceremony commemorates this rite of passage in a different way. Looking at the painting, one can enjoy a slower, more contemplative experience, taking the time to reflect, reminisce, and reconnect with the memories of that day.

Outdoor weddings!

I am looking forward to outdoor weddings and celebrations this coming season in New England. I have painted fiery sunsets, a blue moon on a May evening, and gray skies over the Atlantic.

Boston and the harbor islands—the view from Hingham MA

And yes, sometimes there is rain and wind, and the tent-flaps are down! But amazingly, the party itself begins to generate its own energy and warmth. While making a painting, I focus on the camaraderie among the guests. The lighting and decor add a cozy and welcoming touch to the scene. As for uncooperative weather, I can always use my artist’s license to accentuate the positive!

Reception right on Vineyard Sound at the Popponesset Inn

Everybody’s a photographer

I’ve always been on the fence about the whole issue of cellphones at weddings. I really wish everyone could just enjoy the moment during the first dance. Than I would be able to see better!

The Stateroom, Boston MA (left) Andover Country Club, Andover MA (right)

But then…at the end of a night of painting I’m asked repeatedly, “Is it OK if I take a picture?” Then I’m happy having guests do their thing with their phones. (Is it because I happened to include them in the painting?) It’s one of those moments that the hired photographer may not capture. And it gives me a chance to connect personally with some of my subjects. For me, the high point of the evening is if the wedding couple is able to tear themselves away from the party long enough to take a look. And if there’s a friend with a cell phone nearby, all the better!

Andover Country Club: Thoughts as I begin

A perfect day in late June for a wedding at the Andover Country Club! I was lucky to be invited to paint. While Tara and Jeff were getting ready to say their vows in the lush, manicured gardens, I set up my easel in the ballroom. I noticed the white pergola outside the window where they were to be wed. That would be a great detail to add to the story of the day.

The room had neutral brocade and honey-colored beams and paneling—an excellent backdrop for the dramatic centerpieces. The florist was setting up tall glass vases overflowing with all the flowers of summer in white, pink, blue, and peach. I would be sure to paint one of the arrangements in detail.

I was so happy to see guests with kids arriving early at the reception. This was my chance to observe and paint them in action. They usually cooperate by sliding across the dance floor in their new shoes or doing pirouettes. Children are guaranteed to add “aliveness” to the painting.