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

The JAM at SAM

The annual Puget Sound region holiday party for the wedding and event industries was held this year at the Seattle Art Museum. Yes, those are Ford Tauruses hang from the ceiling. While it does make for a knockout party light show, this is actually a permanent art installation by Cai Guo-Qiang. It scores on a level near sharks in formaldehyde, on the scales of both wonderment and absurdity. After a few minutes of neck tilting, the contemplative viewer hopes for a return to more traditional art, like painting.

And for the next few hours, that’s just what I did.

The New York Times featured an article about live event painters today in the Sunday Styles section. I am quoted a couple of times in the article, and am one of eight artists featured in a slide show of our work in the online edition. I congratulate my fellow event painters, and look forward to all our fortunes rising with this publicity.

McClelland- Miller Wedding, Fort Worth Zoo, Fort Worth, Texas

McClelland-Miller Wedding (detail; click to view full image) November 3, 2012

This was my first trip to Texas. When I called my wife after checking into the hotel, she said I already had an accent. Texas can grow on you that quickly.

Since nothing is small in Texas, this was one of the largest weddings I’ve done, with nearly 500 guests. The soaring, white pavilion at the Fort Worth Zoo was the site of both the wedding and the reception. After a faith-filled service with a gospel choir, guests adjourned to an adjacent pavilion for cocktails while the main space was transformed from chapel to magnificent dining hall. Both spaces were filled with thousands of roses and hydrangea, punctuated with phalaenopsis. 

A band of extraordinary vocal force and suave instrumentality played as the guests came in and found their seats. But the flower girl and ring bearer, twin toddlers belonging to the brides’ brother, found the dance floor first.

As I never know how long children will last at a party, I didn’t waste any time painting them. They appear just to the right of the bride, playing on the stairs to the bridal party’s raised dining stage.

This was a dancing crowd, and the lounge end of the party accommodated enormous participation. White leather couches flanked the dance floor, with the most Texan of all possible coffee tables: diamond plate aluminum truck bed tool boxes. As the spectrum lighting changed the room from purple to magenta and back again, the tool boxes shone like mirrors.

The tall, elegant bride and her all-American groom are seen here surrounded by their friends on the dance floor. The gracious, tuxedoed father of the bride gives his toast.