John Price Art: March 2023

Monday, March 27, 2023

What are Live Wedding Paintings?

Since 2016 I have been painting weddings live as they happen. It's not the path that I set out on, but it's one that I kind of fell into. It was a wedding in Charlottesville and from there, I was asked from time to time to paint one. I didn't really pursue it, but in 2017, I painted a smattering of them and then a few more in 2018. 2019, I kind of put it on the backburner, but was still asked every so often to paint someone's. I don't think I did any in 2020 (for obvious reasons) and then in 2021, people began requesting them...a lot. I didn't understand why - I wasn't advertising or posting them on social media. TikTok...people were showing them all over TikTok. So, I began doing live wedding paintings almost every other weekend.

So what is a live wedding painting? Well...it's a scene that the bride and groom (or bride and bride/groom and groom) want painted as it's happening. And not necessarily every single detail, but the ambiance of the moment...captured with an artistic feel to it. Whether it's the first dance, first kiss, walking down the aisle, saying the vows...the moment is painted as it's happening. Over the next few weeks, I'll be posting some of my live wedding paintings to give you an idea of what it is.

Each live wedding painter is different - some use oil, others paint in watercolor, but the industry standard seems to be acrylic. Some artists paint in high detail, others limit it. When you watch the TikTok videos and they show extreme close-ups of the painting, it's usually in the studio after the event (not always, but most of the time).

On my end, I capture about 80% of the event in person and finish the remaining details in my studio. If the wedding is outside, I take soil from the area people said their vows and grind it into the paint, so that the couple always has a piece of the land they said their vows with them. Each live wedding painting will be different...some couples ask that the venue stands out, while others ask for closeups of them. If you're in the market for a live wedding painter, shoot me a message - johnpriceart@gmail.com. I'd love to set up an appointment with you and paint your wedding.

Friday, March 24, 2023

Rainy Day on West Broad Street

30x40

Oil

$3500

Original on display at Crossroads Art Center

Thursday, March 23, 2023

Texas Beach Sunset

Palette Knife

Oil

Original Sold...however...fine art prints are available on my Etsy page.

Just click the link below and select the size you're interested in.

11x14 Artist Touch canvas prints are usually $85, but for one week, you can purchase them for $50. Add another $35 to have a black floater frame put on. Next Friday, canvas prints of this beautiful painting will go back to $85.

Texas Beach Sunset Fine Art Print Richmond Art Sunset - Etsy

Details. Details. Details.

Me: Don't get so caught up in all the minor details.

Also Me: That tiny section right there, I know you can't see it from a distance, but what if someone's studying it 100 years from now and they see that I messed up and was slightly off? Oooh...that part right there needs to be touched up.

Wednesday, March 22, 2023

Rainy Day on West Broad WIP

So about that photograph from the art event. I decided to try something I've never done before with this painting. Contrast is the key to a painting "standing out" per se. So I inverted all of my colors, and laid the base with its complementary color. Since the ground is going to ultimately be blue and purple, I painted the base variations of oranges and yellows. The trees were red (you can already see the green over top of it, and the sky was orange (now blue). I'm just curious how it'll turn out. There are very few things that I kept the original color.

Monday, March 20, 2023

Rainy Day on West Broad Street Ref Pic

Oh god, this was an awful day. I was given the opportunity to do a solo show at Brickhouse RVA. I did everything right...marketing, advertising, posting...you name it. The night of the show, Mother Nature said, and I quote..."Fuck You!" Half the city was without power, shows were cancelled. I went outside when it began to die down and took this pic. It was gorgeous...and I decided to paint it.

Wednesday, March 15, 2023

The Akers' Barn

The Akers Barn

22x30

Oil

Sold

Tuesday, March 14, 2023

The Akers Barn WIP

I rarely show these anymore, the work in progress pics. This painting of The Akers Barn is already sold, but I thought I'd post a work in progress before showing the final image. I have the final image on my Facebook art page, but I refrained from posting on this blog for a year for personal reasons. I kind of hinted at it earlier, in the blog. I won't go into too much detail, but I think I can finally get back to being myself again.

Monday, March 13, 2023

Rumors of War

I did this painting of the Rumors of War statue/monument by Kehinde Wiley. The statue was an answer to Monument Avenue in Richmond, shortly before the world went to shit in 2020. I was torn when it came to painting this monument, not because of any stance, but because I honestly don't think it's that great of a statue. Supposedly, according to an article in Boomer Magazine, "it is a seismic shift for Richmond in its embrace of cultural inclusion and a more complete American history and its rejection of racist mythologies." At the VMFA, almost all European art movements have a modern commentary painting as an answer. It's the museum's 'what if minorities were equal in society?' take. I've spoken with more than one artist who said it feels almost like the VMFA has become an art gallery that has taken a political stance as opposed to just showing art as it was/is. I kind of agree, but not really, but kind of...but not really...I'm kind of torn. Why? Because why stop there? Why not have sections for 'what if the Nazis had won WW2?' and have art to represent that?

It's almost like the directors have this idea that if they were living 150 years ago, they'd have today's views, which we all know is bullshit. Besides, holding the past accountable for modern day values seems kind of weird. You are a product of your time/generation, good and bad. Your views represent the contemporary views for the most part. The art that makes waves today represents the majority of the views of the day. In 200 years, let's have an artist paint an answer to those views.

From my end, a stereotypical image of a black male with a hoodie, ripped jeans and Nikes doesn't convey anything that suggests cultural inclusion...to me anyway. Black culture isn't ripped jeans, a hoodie and Nikes. It's stereotypical. That said, in the grand scheme of statues, it's mediocre at best.

However, it has become a cultural landmark in Richmond, and the VMFA is still one of my favorite places to go in Richmond. The painting is 16x20, oil, and is on display at Crossroads Art Center in Richmond, VA.

Sunday, March 12, 2023

The Lowerys - Holyfield Manor

Art Show at The Brickhouse RVA

This was my very first solo show ever at The Brickhouse RVA. I did my marketing right, advertising, I fucking pushed it! And the night of the event, Mother Nature said, "fuck you!" and it was a torrential downpour. Half the city shut down, power went out, concerts had to be rescheduled. But there was wine. And I had a good time. See that woman in the photo? She's probably one of the strongest people I've ever met in my life, and I'm a better person because of her.