Bar Mitzvah in Harrisburg

24x36, Bar Mitzvah at the Zembo Temple in Harrisburg, PA, Patricia Bennett

Last night I painted a wonderful Bar Mitzvah in Harrisburg.  It was at the Zembo shrine in the arena where they used to have the circus.  There was a batting cage set up, basketball hoops, a caricaturist, a tattoo-artist, a photo-booth, a fun D.J. with five friendly back-up dancers, a videographer, a few photographers, a lighting crew, and me!  Very nice people, and the event planner/caterer was very helpful.  The theme was sports, as the boy in question loves to ski, play basketball, and baseball.

The lighting guys put a nice light on my canvas, which was greatly appreciated.  Fun all night.

Live Painting at the Baltimore Country Club

Wedding Reception Painting at the Baltimore Country Club, ©Patricia Bennett 2013 24x36"

Below is the painting at the end of the evening.  I asked the couple to pose for me, and added them afterwards, along with small vignettes of their first dance and their marriage ceremony.  The bride's dog is also in the painting.

Baltimore Country Club Live Painting, 24x36, Patricia Bennett

This lovely wedding reception was organized by Stephanie Bradshaw and her crew at Baltimore's very own Baltimore Country Club.

I arrived at noon to a space with three areas: one for the reception dinner with a "farm to family" feel, one for dancing "under the stars", and one for coffee.  I had to decide what to paint.  It was tempting to include the view from the entrance, but I decided on simplicity: I set up in the reception room.

Wedding Reception at Pazo

October 5, 2013 Wedding Reception Painting at Pazo Restaurant in Baltimore City

I arrived at 2pm to begin the painting for the lovely couple of their wedding reception at Baltimore's Pazo.  Living in Baltimore, I had heard of Pazo but had never seen it until the Wednesday before the Reception.  It was the perfect location for this event.

I found the staff to be really helpful and friendly.  Elizabeth Bailey, the wedding planner, expertly situated me in the perfect location, and allowed me lots of latitude. 

At the end...

Patricia Bennett after midnight with the painting of the Wedding Reception.

 The painting, bride and groom to be added later.

Wedding Reception at Pazo, by Patricia Bennett

In this painting please note the limousine out front, the high-heeled shoes on the stool, the absence of a flight of stairs, and the figure on the upper balcony with the camera...

The beginning of the painting, pencil on canvas, Patricia Bennett

Artist's reflection in the bar at Pazo

Photo of Pazo with Elizabeth Bailey, her two assistants, and Pazo's event planner.

The Wedding Reception Painting, mid-way through.

It was a great party.  The only part that was kind of weird was when I walked ten blocks after midnight through Fells Point to fetch my car.

Woodholme Country Club Live Event Painting complete!

Wedding and Ceremony at the Woodholme Country Club, Patricia Bennett

This painting is done, best wishes to the couple.  The couple is in the foreground, and the bridal party is on the left.

This painting is a live event painting, studio painting hybrid.

The studio portion took two or three weeks to complete, while the live portion took one day.  I was present at their Ceremony, but couldn't paint it live due to unexpected space issues.  However, I took many photographs, and used them as reference.  I added: the bridesmaids, the bride's brother, the ceremony, the bridal party, and the bride and groom, and the event planner who was definitely a big part of the event.  The bride's cute dog was added to the painting as well, even though he/she wasn't present.

Currently I am making greeting cards for the bride's mother.  These are an extra that I like to do.  I love high quality images of paintings on greeting cards.  And I will also make 8x10 prints and frame them.  Just need some more light cyan ink...

Cylburn Solstice 2013 update

Cylburn Solstice 2013, Patricia Bennett, 24x36

This painting will be on display November 1, 2013 at Cylburn's Vollmer center for Patricia Bennett's Artist in Residence show.

The painting depicts the second Summer Solstice event at Cylburn Arboretum.
 It was mostly painted during the event.  You can see the first version in an earlier blogpost.
The couple in the foreground did pose for me, though I took some artistic liberties.

Wedding at Cylburn

Cylburn Wedding, worked on afterwards, 24x36, Patricia Bennett

Cylburn Wedding, 24x36, Patricia Bennett

I painted a charming afternoon wedding at Cylburn today, where I am the 2013 Artist in Residence.

The ceremony and reception took place in the Mansion's elegant "White"room between 2:30 and 4:30 pm.   I stood in front of a priceless white marble fireplace with my paints and canvas.

I plan to add details to the painting of the moulding and four golden candelabras in the room, which overlooks Cylburn's "lawn".

The caterers were the owners of a nice coffee shop/book store on Hartford Road called "The Red Canoe".  They tried to feed me during the event, which was very thoughtful.

Outside the weather was chilly, but daffodils, cherry blossoms, and heliotropes were happily flowering.

Holiday Party at the Four Seasons, Baltimore

"Holiday Party, 2012," Patricia Bennett, 24x36" 

On Friday I painted an amazing party at the Four Seasons Hotel, Baltimore.  There was a 9 foot Christmas tree and blue lights and of course the view of the Inner Harbor out of the windows.  The flower arrangements had Christmas balls in them, as well as peacock feathers!

Wedding Reception at the Four Seasons, Paula's Portrait

I got to paint at a wonderful Wedding Reception, August 18, 2012 at the Four Seasons Hotel in Baltimore.  The bride and groom are an amazing couple.  I don't want to gush too much, but the event was very "gushworthy".

Wedding Reception at the Four Seasons, Baltimore, 24x36, Patricia Bennett

 The Beginning, Photo by Suzin Boddiford.

 Almost Done, Photo by Suzin Boddiford.

Today I rested a little, my brain exhausted after trying to capture the energy of last night's celebrations, and worked on the portrait of a lovely neighbor.

Paula, 11x14, Patricia Bennett

And finally I met a very special dog whose portrait I am going to paint.  She will either be sitting on a pillow in front of flowers, or in a niche.  

Eric Waller Vegetable Garden, in progress, 24x36, acrylic on canvas, Patricia Bennett

Eric Waller Memorial Vegetable Garden, Patricia Bennett

Eric Waller Vegetable Garden, in progress, 24x36, acrylic on canvas, Patricia Bennett

It was a lovely day at the Mt. Washington Vegetable Garden.  The official name of the garden is the Eric Waller Vegetable Garden.

It is quite a garden.  You can see the harvest in the lower right hand corner of the painting.  Over 40 families help out with it, and it's inspiring to see what can come of community spirit under the expert guidance of Larry Kloze, Master Gardener.

No ducks yet.

But the ducks are ready to move in.

These ducks walk on two legs and full-grown are 30 inches tall.  The painting will be complete after I add the ducks...

Note: I just added the completed painting to this blog entry.

Farmers Market, 2

Farmers Market 2, 24x36, acrylic on canvas, Patricia Bennett

I painted at the Farmer's Market again, from the same location as last time.  This time I painted the watermelons first, before they got purchased.

Tonight I painted the scene at the Zoll studio, that painting is in progress.

Mount Washington Vegetable Garden

MWGarden, in progress, 24x36, acrylic on canvas, Patricia Bennett

 Mount Washington has a wonderful Vegetable Garden, the Eric Waller Mt. Washington Vegetable Garden, and I got to paint the residents in action as they tended it today.  I painted one person, and the rest were done from photos.

MWGarden, beginning, 24x36, acrylic on canvas, Patricia Bennett

Farmer's Market, July 22, 2012

Farmers Market July 22, 2012, 24x36, acrylic on canvas, Patricia Bennett

I painted the Baltimore Farmer's Market this morning.  I love the location, under the highway.  It's got a gritty Bellows feel.

About fifty people watched me paint, children were the most interested.  One elderly man in a wheelchair wanted to take the painting with him on the bus to the VA Hospital where he resides.

If anyone is interested in signed prints, let me know.

Mount Washington Improvement Association Live Painting

Mount Washington Improvement Association Party, 24x36, acrylic on canvas, Patricia Bennett

This was painted live on Saturday, June 9 from 5:30 to 8.  It was a lot of fun.

Baltimore View

24x36, Baltimore View, oil on canvas, Patricia Bennett

Painted when Legg Mason's name was on the tall skinny building...