Live Wedding Painting Tasmania Part 2
Imagine painting love stories, not at home, but right there in the middle of someone’s wedding. That's what I got up to recently, painting at not one, but two weddings in a weekend! And get this – the first one? It was a surprise for the bride, a gift from her sister.
I'm talking about LIVE wedding painting – turning special moments into art on the spot. Let me take you behind the scenes of these two love-filled events, where I worked as quickly as possible to create wedding day magic.
So, first up was Emily and Jason. They had their beautiful reception at Lark Distillery. They walked into their reception, thinking it's the scene they planned, and there I am with my paints and ink pens – surprise! Emotional vibes all around.
Lark Distillery, with its rustic charm, was the perfect spot. Warm tones, beautiful decorations – a dream setting. My job? Create quick sketches of guests. Different groups popped by my station for a snapshot, then back to the party they went.
Here's the tricky bit: it was a last-minute surprise, so I didn't know who's who among the VIPs. I tried to capture the heart of the celebration and did some last minute prioritising. There are a few leftover that I am continuing after the fact.
The next wedding of the weekend was Susannah and Kieran's love-filled day at Stefano Lubiana Winery. Picture this: an outdoor ceremony, an indoor reception with live music and tons of close knit family.
What set this wedding apart? Well, for starters, it wasn't about sketching guests this time. Instead, my task was to capture about 5 key moments of the day. I had to be quick on my feet, deciding which moments would make it. Susannah had a wishlist – their son, the cake, and the couple during the ceremony. Having a starting point helps, and knowing the family personally helps even more.
Here are some more snaps from the day. The trickiest part was not having daylight towards the end of the evening. I was adding finishing touches in the dark. Time to buy a portable light for my painting kit!
Looking back at this busy weekend, these gigs were more than just drawing. They shaped my style and how I approach each celebration. I have so much to learn and that’s what makes it so fun!
Tips for Future Couples:
For couples thinking about live illustration, here's a tip: If you have lots of guests, think about a different style – maybe capturing key moments instead of individual portraits. It's not just about the amount of art, but showing a unique perspective. If you do prefer guest portraits, be prepared to potentially have some of them finished afterwards.
Feel free to reach out to me if you want to find out more or check availability.
Until next time…
Follow the journey on Instagram:
Live Wedding Painting Tasmania!
It’s been a while, folks! I went off and had a baby in August and am just dipping my toes gradually back into work, comics, and events. What a whirlwind!
I jumped back in a couple of weeks ago for a live wedding event where I sketched and painted during a ceremony at the Port Cygnet Cannery in Tasmania. It’s such a unique venue and it was an honor to be asked to do this.
Setup and ready to go!
I prepped some papers and took some reference images of special mementos for the couple in advance to be sure to include these extra special images that are incredibly meaningful on their day. Then it was time to start!
The ceremony has finished, sketches are planned, and now it’s time to make everything look fabulous!
I used my favorite pen ever, the Pentel Brush Pen, which is permanent ink. In addition to this, I used my Yarka watercolor paints and lush Fabriano hot press paper. All archival materials ensure these little moments will last forever. Here is a snippet reel of everything in action on my Instagram:
If you or anyone you know is interested in hiring me as their wedding artist, I would love to come up with a special plan just for you! Get in touch via email - alyssa (@) alyssabermudezart.com
Inscape Tributes 2021
Creating tribute pieces for Inscape Tasmania is pretty much one of the best gigs ever. It is so special to listen and learn from patients in the Royal Hobart Hospital — all with unique stories to tell! Here are some recent ones:
When people reflect on the special moments in their lives it’s always something simple but profound. For Sandra, it was the sound of bagpipes at her wedding, roses, the colour yellow, researching her family tree and a funny moment with her husband and a seal. It’s so fun to put these together in just a few hours and special to see their reaction to it when it’s done.
Ingrid generously shared some of the things that bring joy to her life and we immediately clicked. Sometimes that connection leads to an even more special illustration. This is the fabric of Ingrid’s life and it’s one of my favourite tribute pieces to date.
I created a tribute piece for Elizabeth- a patient at the Royal who loves nature, animals, crafts and fossicking for gemstones. It was wonderful to hear some of her favourite memories and turn them into art for her to keep.
For Colleen, it was a quilt representing her love of sewing and the fabric of her life which involved so many special things. She also had the best smile.
Fabrics & Fashion - Print Design for Keshet
As many of you know, I was the Art Director at Keshet Design for several years. In addition to working on many of the print designs in house, I also designed a few from scratch. The Keshet target audience loves BRIGHT colourful clothing and is not afraid to mix and match. Since it is a proudly Tasmanian company, we choose the dragonfly that I drew in Cradle Mountain to be the main feature for this cotton print. It was available in SO many fabulous outfits!
Images via Keshet’s Instagram | Photos by Amy Brown
Last Winter Season I designed another print which was inspired by Frida Kahlo!
Photo by Matt Palmer
Photo by Matt Palmer
Inscape Tasmania
The new resident artist at the Royal Hobart Hospital with Inscape Tasmania!
I have recently added a new title to my list of ongoing freelance gigs - Resident Artist at the Royal Hobart Hospital through the beautiful Inscape Tasmania program. I am a part of their meaningful Tribute project which links illustrators and visual artists with patients on the Acute Older Person's Ward.
Hard at work in the Arts & Music room on the ward.
Here's more about the program:
Inscape is a Hobart based non-profit organisation that supports artists to work in healthcare and other non-art settings, with the aim of promoting a sense of wellbeing for health care providers, patients and families.
The Tribute Project: Through meaningful conversation our artists capture the memories and life of patients; providing a tribute to patients and visual cues that encourage greater connection between hospital staff, patients and families. The artworks provide staff with a way to recognise the person and their lives as well as to attend to necessary medical procedures. The patient and/or their families keep the artwork as a memento; and, with their permission, a copy of their artwork is exhibited in a public space at the hospital.
I spent time with each of the following patients and spoke with them about some of their favourite memories. Here are some of the tribute paintings I have created for patients at the RHH:
A piece for Susan, who loves reading, chocolates and other special things that are hinted at in this piece for her. I mix and match traditional or digital painting depending on the piece. This one is digital.
This piece for Clifford was painted in acrylics and based on this man's love for his pets and a lifetime of giving to others even when he had nothing for himself.
This painting was a special combination of dear memories, each represented in panels from her favourite cathedral in England. I also painted this one in acrylic as it suited her story more than a digital work.
This tribute piece was for a younger patient at the RHH who has traveled the world and explored different cultures on his own and with family. This one is a digital piece.
I am looking forward to meeting more amazing humans and hopefully giving them a small piece of joy during their various hospital encounters. Joining this team and hearing these stories has been one of the highlights of my freelance life. One older woman just couldn't believe that I was doing this just for her. I hope she felt as special as I did creating it for her.
More coming soon!