Painting by Andy Greenlee of Celebration Paintings

These artists swap a camera for brushes as live event painters.

 By Sarah Emily Gilbert

At a time when seemingly anything can be digitized or reproduced, live event painters offer a one-of-a-kind memento for your wedding day. In addition to providing a hand-painted picture of the occasion, these artists provide live entertainment. During the event, they work on location, adding details to the painting as the night goes on. Live painters can also do something the camera cannot: capture an evening the way the bride and groom desire. Just like any artist, each event painter has a unique aesthetic and process. Below, we compiled a list of individuals willing to bring their craft to weddings in our area and beyond.

Andy Greenlee of Celebration Paintings

Andy Greenlee has a more impressionistic style to her paintings that captures the energy of an event. Based in the Lehigh Valley, Greenlee often travels to the tristate area to paint at weddings and will even travel abroad for an event. Pictured here is her “Live Oil Painting at the Plaza Hotel,” which she describes on her website:

“I was honored to capture the wedding of one of the great wedding planners, Angela Lobello (ne Troia) of the Wedding Company.  She and her groom danced the night away among celebrating family at the iconic Plaza Hotel.  I was perched in the balcony for a wonderful view.” – Andy Greenlee, celebrationpaintings.com

Anne Watkins Watercolors

This NYC artist swaps realistic portrait paintings for a series of minimalist watercolors that are representative of an event. With sweeping strokes, Watkins captures the billow of a wedding dress, the profile of the groom, or the bright blooms decorating a venue. Watkins is known for her unique painting style, and her work has been featured in magazines such as Town and Country, In Style, and Departures.

Daniel Angeli of Captured on Canvas

Daniel Angeli is based out of New York City, but as a world traveler, he is willing to take his paints to any location. In addition to a degree in Italian and fine arts, Angeli has a MFA in painting at the School of the Museum of Fine Arts. He’s also fluent in two languages, dabbles in homebrews, and loves cats.

Jessica Weiss-Stevens of The Celebration Artist

Jessica Weiss-Stevens turns weddings in New York and New Jersey into art. In her paintings, she is known to place special focus on the architectural details of the event venue. Weiss-Stevens is also known to easily entertain guests with her amicable personality. In addition to live painting, the artist offers “reflecting event painting” based off of a picture of an event that has already passed.

Katherine Gressel of Event Painting by Katherine

Brooklyn-based artist, Katherine Gressel is the “cool girl” of live event painting. A Yale graduate with a MA in arts management from Columbia University, Gressel brings an impressive educational background to the canvas, as well as experience in public art and art education. Perhaps more importantly, Gressel will gladly add a family pet to a painting, like the dog pictured in this painting of a wedding ceremony in West Orange, NJ.

Anthony Galati of Event Paintings by Anthony

Anthony Galati’s work as a portrait artist is evident in his realistic wedding paintings that capture the faces of guests in extreme detail. A Montclair, NJ resident, Galati can work weddings both near and far, and even has work in private collections in the UK and Singapore.