The Duval-Thommes Wedding, Santa Barbara Historical Museum, June 29, 2013

Santa Barbara has always been a city of romance. Now it is a city of weddings.

I set up my easel in the north corner of the courtyard of the Santa Barbara Historical Museum, under the veranda’s golden chalice vines. The space was elegantly and rustically decorated, much as it might have been in the Mexican colonial era, when some of these adobe buildings first baked in the California sun. A fountain burbled at the far end of the yard, and a light breeze darted under the old timbers. The band was just setting up, and catering brought me lemonade.

The couple were married in the mid afternoon in the old Presdio chapel, two blocks away. A mariachi band then lead the guests to the courtyard of the Casa Covarrubias for cocktails. From there, they made their way to the dinner tables within my view.  At 6:00 the couple made their grand entrance into this larger museum courtyard as husband and wife.

By that time, I had painted the setting—with the sky a little darker, in anticipation of evening— and was beginning to lay in the figures of the guests.

But the couple still had not been told that I would be there painting, and eventually the bride’s grandmother brought them to my corner to see what I was doing. It was her gift to them. I painted them quickly as they watched, and then they returned to their guests, delighted. 

For all the work of gifted planners, designers, and other wedding professionals, what makes a wedding wonderful are the couple and their friends and families. This was a convivial company, and they joyfully filled the dance floor, shaking brightly painted maracas until the grand exit at 10 pm.  

I was finished an hour before they left.

And when they left, they left in grand style, as you can see in this little vid from my phone:

Inset photo by Melissa Musgrove.  Marvelous wedding design by Tonya Szele of Soinge Productions. 

Ron and Bruce, Hilton Garden Inn, Issaquah, Washington

This was one of those weddings where the couple has been together for thirty years before tying the knot. As more than one person said in more than one toast, “It’s about time.”

It was also one of those weddings where I was asked to paint the ceremony— I usually do the reception— and it only lasted fifteen minutes. The solution to this seemingly difficult task, of course, is easy. I arrived early enough to paint the room and backdrop before the ceremony, and was therefore able to focus on just the couple during those crucial few minutes that they faced each other in front of the judge. Then the chapel seating was pulled away and the tables were pulled out, and I had a few leisurely hours to paint the assembly at dinner.

One of the grooms’ nieces was there early as well, and she stood at my left elbow every minute she was allowed. Other nieces can be seen across the room, doing what teenagers do at weddings these days: texting each other.

It was an intimate family wedding, and I hope I’ve painted it in an intimate, family way.

The Seattle Hotel Association’s Evening of Hope

The Seattle Hotel Association's Evening of Hope Gala 2013, oil on canvas, 24 x 30 inches, by Sam Day

Every time I do a live event painting for a charity auction, I show up early enough to paint the venue, and then when the guests arrive for cocktails, I can just paint people until they’re called to dinner for the live auction. As my painting is auctioned off, I go on stage and do the Vanna White thing. The buyer is then welcome to meet me back in the lobby after the auction to have his or her face, along with a guest or two, painted into the scene.

Seattle's Finest

The Seattle Hotel Association’s gala Evening of Hope benefits the Seattle Police Foundation, which allowed me to paint some things I don’t usually put into a picture of a cocktail party. I really wanted to put the police dog in the painting, but I heard him more than I saw him; he was down in the lower lobby. Alas, they kept the horses outside. There was a bomb squad robot at the other end of the room, and the SWAT team had a radio controlled crawling camera dodging peoples’ feet, but those didn’t make it into the painting either. However, I was fortunate enough to be placed next to this cool table of “small arms.” I asked what one of the rifles was called, and got an exhaustive answer detailing its range and capabilities. These were all very expensive, state of the art tools, essential to some very expensive programs. The Seattle Hotel Association was gathered to raise funds to equip them, helping to make Seattle a safer place to live and visit.

 But it turned out the buyer of my painting was more interested in the architecture. The magnificent venue is the Olympic Fairmont Hotel, one of the grandest spaces in the Pacific Northwest. Built in 1924, it quickly became the premier destination in the region for Presidents, foreign dignitaries, and celebrities. But after decades of age, and the recession of the 1970s, this grand dame was in need of a facelift— and new owners. In 1981 she became the Four Seasons Olympic Hotel (and later, in 2004, the Fairmont Olympic). In 1982, the black lacquered Spanish Foyer was stripped down to the beautiful walnut paneling we see here.

And the man who bought my painting reminisced that he had been the one to make that all happen. In addition to the hotelier friends he asked to stand in, he also requested that I paint in another friend— a waiter who had served in this room for decades.

Weddings in Woodinville, January 27, 2013

Well, this is the first time I’ve painted for several hours in a wine cellar, with the doors open, in January. The air was chilly, but the smiles were warm. The 2013 Weddings in Woodinville continues the tradition of bussing brides from one winery to another, for one luxurious day of food, drink, and elegant design offerings. The participating wineries were Columbia, where I painted last year, DeLille Cellars, Matthews Estate, Novelty Hill•Januik Winery, Willows Lodge, Woodhouse Wine Estates, and JM Cellars— where I painted this year.

Each winery is decorated by a different designer for the day, each with a separate caterer and array of specialty vendors. The offerings at JM Cellars were curated by event planner Melody Davis, of MG Davis Events, to whom I am most grateful for my inclusion. 

Twelve Baskets Open House

This is the second year I’ve participated in Twelve Baskets Catering’s annual open house tasting. The venue was the marvelous event space 415 Westlake, with its marvelous, glowing wood plank ceiling. 

As I do this year after year, Twelve Baskets will have a growing collection of my paintings at their showroom in Kirkland. 

Korum Ford 50th Anniversary

As much as I love painting live at weddings, it’s nice to throw in something different now and then.

Jerry Korum founded his Ford dealership in Puyallup, Washington, in 1963. After fifty years, he has no intention of quitting the business. His children threw him a (surprise!) party to commemorate the milestone. Among the guests were the mayor and the general in charge of nearby Joint Base Lewis-McChord, both praising the founder for his contributions to the community.

The bright car pictured at right, from the owner’s collection, is 1963 Thunderbird, the same body style that Thelma and Louise famously drove over a cliff. But his pride and joy is the ’57 Bird in the background at left, with the dainty opera window in the removable hardtop.

The owner and his wife greet guests in the foreground, and figures recognizable to them are scattered through the painting, both family and friends. Their youngest granddaughter dances on a riser just behind the roses.

Wedding and Event Painting Prices, 2013

My prices remain unchanged for 2013.

Travel costs usually include just air fare and lodging for two nights, although larger paintings may take more preparation time at the destination.

Inches  Centimeters  US Dollars

24 x 30  61 x 76  $2500

24 x 36  61 x 91  $2800

24 x 40  61 x 102  $3250

30 x 40   76 x 102  $4000

36 x 48  91 x 122  $5000

48 x 60  122 x 152  $6000

48 x 72  122 x 183  $7500

48 x 80  122 x 203  $9000