Mary O. Smith loves capturing cherished moments on a couple’s special day with the magic of a canvas and a brush. She started live wedding painting eight years ago when a friend from college’s daughter got married and asked Smith if she would paint a scene during the wedding. This led to lots of other connections and she has been painting memories ever since.
Smith is a plein-air painter from Louisiana who currently has a small studio in Jacksonville.
“Plein-air is French for painting outside,” she explained. It requires the artist to work quickly in often less-than-ideal situations, including braving the heat and insects. This skill has prepped her for the art of live wedding painting.
Smith said that, at weddings, she sets up her canvas and paints what she sees. Sometimes, couples want her to paint the ceremony, their first dance or the guests at the reception. Her goal is to capture the couple’s vision and paint a memory of their special day as a keepsake. She sketches the scene and paints with watercolor, or sometimes, she takes the sketch home and uses it to create an oil painting requested by the couple.
Smith said that having an artist painting at a wedding really adds to the experience. The couple is usually busy taking photos at the reception and the painting is a great diversion for guests. Smith enjoys talking to guests while she paints.
Live wedding painting “can be quite daunting,” Smith said. She joked that she sometimes feels like a circus performer trying to juggle painting and talking to guests, but she loves what she does. Capturing a memory of the special day is exciting, and she enjoys bringing a memorable element to the celebration.
To learn more about Smith and her live wedding painting services, go to www.maryosmith.com. You can also find her on Facebook under Studio by Mary O.
