May 29, 2025 - Denver, CO
Good Shepherd Catholic School, Please Enjoy Your Customized Proposal!
LIVE EVENT PAINTING
Kelsey Shields Art
Congratulations to the 100th graduating class and welcome in!
Let's create your vision together.
WHAT IS IT?
By the end of graduation, you will have an heirloom painting created in the company of your most beloved classmates, teachers, and family.
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My hope is to capture the energy and uniqueness of your day - and you! I love painting with colors that create a lively atmosphere, captivate the viewer, and evoke a strong sense of light and depth.
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Capturing stunning mountain backdrops that highlight a pivotal moment within them has become an immense source of joy for me. Whether it is a church, ranch lodge, family home, mountain expanse, school, or resort - I welcome it all!
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In my experience painting at over 100 events, attendees love the opportunity to watch a work of art unfold. Live art is a way to elevate your already luxurious event and a novel way to provide entertainment for all.
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A painting serves as the perfect time capsule to solidify the magic of graduation day. It manages to wrap up all of the best things in life, which happen to be the things you can't buy.
LOVE, family, experiences, feelings, JOY, precious places, friendship
MUCH MORE THAN A PAINTING
Future generations will thank you. Imagine reminiscing with loved ones and sharing your experience. A live painting becomes a cherished heirloom, passed down or displayed in the school, for years to come.
You can’t purchase the magic of a momentous day, but a live painting helps create and
capture it.
Art has the power to take us back. Decades from now, your painting will bring you right back to the emotions and beauty of your day.
Your painting captures a moment in time—the uniqueness of your class and a stepping stone into the future. As life moves forward, this artwork holds that memory still.
In the moment, guests are completely enamored watching a painting come to life. Live art adds unique entertainment and engages those who pass by.
Day of Process
01. About 1-2 hours before guests begin to arrive (this depends on the size of the canvas) I will arrive for a seamless setup in the space. I will have everything - no need to provide a table, chair, lights, etc.
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02 Each painting begins with a "ground", or a toning of the canvas, followed by blocking in your chosen scene. The goal is to create an engaging composition that carries the eye around the piece. Your vision for the piece is constantly top of mind!
03. Your chosen moment is captured in a photograph and on video to ensure a perfect reference image to work from.
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04. Each event is unique and moving from one location to the next is common. Whenever possible, your painting will be with you and your guests.
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05. Details begin to take shape as the party progresses. Your chosen moment, guests, details, and scenery will all emerge in rich color.
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06. Each live painting takes 5-8 hours to complete depending on the canvas size and amount of details (for example: minimal guests vs. many). The finished piece can be left at the venue or shipped directly to you. Touch ups and shipping are included in each live painting package.
Your desires are top priority.
01 The scene captured.
02 Color scheme.
03 Important guests to be highlighted.
04 Features from your event to include.
05 The feeling of the moment (joy, excitement, etc.)
ALWAYS INCLUDED
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C0mpleted painting on canvas or paper highlighting the chosen moment and featured guests (no limit).
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4-7 hours of live painting entertainment depending on the canvas size.
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Touch ups completed in the studio. You have the opportunity to approve your painting and request changes. The amount of time for touch ups is unique to each piece.
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Shipping or hand delivery within 8 weeks.
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Complimentary 8x10 archival print and a digital file of your painting for your records.
NOT INCLUDED
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Travel over 50 miles outside of Denver, CO is an additional cost for mileage and/or accommodations.
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Frame
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Optional add ons
Your Custom Travel Estimate: $0
Covers mileage and lodging
CANVAS PAINTING PACKAGES
Aspen: 18" x 24" >> $2900
Summit: 24" x 30" or 24" x 36" >> $3900
Alpenglow: 30" x 40" >> $4900
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High Alpine Heirloom Collection: $6800
30"x40" framed canvas painting
10 watercolor guest portraits
two archival prints 16"x20"
high resolution image capture & file
all delivered within 4 weeks
Natural Maple Float Frame
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ASPEN 18x14 : $260
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SUMMIT 24x30 : $320
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ALPENGLOW 30x40 : $370
SIZE COMPARISON
TIP: Cut paper or cardboard in a couple sizes to see how they feel in your space.
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A Live Art Experience You Can Trust
When you hire me for your live painting, you can expect a seamless, stress-free experience - no surprises, just a beautiful, personalized work of art.
My journey into live painting began when I transitioned from being an elementary art teacher to a full-time artist. I found endless inspiration in the wild beauty of the West, spending my days exploring, adventuring, and painting en plein air. Working outdoors taught me how to paint quickly and confidently—whether under sun, snow, or shifting skies—and to capture not just a scene, but the emotion of a moment.
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Bringing that same energy and skill to weddings and events felt like a natural extension. Over the years, I’ve painted at countless ceremonies and galas, developing a refined process, consistent style, and curated toolkit that ensures every detail is intentional and every painting is unique.
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Your guests are always welcome to stop by, observe the process, and chat while I paint. Thanks to five years in the classroom, I’ve mastered the art of creating and connecting simultaneously.
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From our first conversation to event day, I bring professionalism, warmth, and a deep knowledge of working with planners and venues across Colorado. I thoughtfully set up my space and work with care to match your vision. My commitment is simple: to exceed expectations and create a keepsake that brings you joy for years to come.
Let’s create a one-of-a-kind live art experience—one that captures the beauty, magic, and meaning of your celebration.
ADD ONS
Guest Portraits - based on quantity beginning at 10. Typically, a live painting takes place during the ceremony followed by guest portraits during cocktail hour and the reception. When time allows, I return to the live painting.
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Image File $200 - upgrade to a high resolution image capture to make larger prints.
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Prints - pricing begins at $10 for a card pack of 3 and $30 for a 5x7 paper print
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Studio Painting - Beginning at $900 for a paper commission and $1200 for a canvas painting, popular options are drone shots, floral arrangements, or a first dance​​.
Seeking more information about these offers?
Please email me sharing details and specific interests. I will add everything right here on your proposal page.
ONBOARDING
to EVENT DAY
01 Let's connect via phone or zoom to talk through
your vision, questions you have, and see if this is a good fit.
Ready to book? Simply email back in our thread and the onboarding process will begin!
02 A contract and invoice secure your date. The initial deposit is $1500.
03 Three months prior to your date, I'll begin collecting all final details and go over logistics.
04 Final payment is due one month before your event.
05 It is officially time for a live painting! Let's celebrate!
IMMEDIATE NEXT STEPS?
Connect on a call: Let's talk through your vision for a live painting, go over questions you might have, and see if this is a good fit!
​Please email me in our thread to find a time that works for both of us.
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Ready to move forward: Simply reply back via email and we will begin the onboarding process. I'm excited to work together!
"I cannot overstate how happy I am that we found and used her! Our guests raved over watching her paint and I feel happy every day when I walk by it. We will cherish it forever!" - Jordan
"Kelsey painted our ceremony in addition to guest portraits for our wedding and everything turned out incredibly beautiful! Great to work with, very kind and ridiculously talented. Her work is one of our favorite details about our wedding that added a touch of elegance and beautiful artwork we will have forever!"
-Ashley
"You exceeded every expectation!"
-Afton
"I found Kelsey over a year before the wedding and we had secured the date early on. On our wedding, she arrived as scheduled and was very self-sufficient and professional. It was great to take the painting home the next day!
Overall, Kelsey was a charm to work with and we will treasure this beautiful painting forever. It sits front and center in our living room now, and every day I gaze at it. It truly brings a smile to my face as. I’m so happy she created this painting for us!"
-Leslie
I can't say enough wonderful things! We were in absolute awe of her talent and how hard she worked to create our painting. She took care at every point to make sure the painting was what we wanted and incorporated every detail -and more! Highly recommend."
-Lauren
"Our guests are STILL talking about their illustrations (that many of them have framed since) and it was easily the best detail/ guest favor ever! I did a LOT of research into numerous artists before hiring Kelsey and I quickly fell in love with her style as I browsed her website/socials. From the beginning Kelsey was professional, kind, responsive and just downright awesome. 1000000/10 would recommend hiring Kelsey to paint at your wedding! Thank you for everything!" - Casey
F
A
Q
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Did you study art? How did you learn to paint?
I studied Art Education at Penn State University. While getting my degree, I took a wide variety of studio courses such as painting, drawing, figure drawing, ceramics, and printmaking. I taught art for five years before becoming a full time artist in 2019.
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When did you start live painting?
In 2016, a friend from art school asked me if I would paint her wedding. That was the start of an unexpected journey into live painting. I really began offering live painting as a service in 2019 and paint approximately 20 events each year.
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Do you travel out of Colorado?
I generally stay in Colorado. There are so many beautiful venues here that I haven't felt a particular need to travel and I love staying close to home to be with our two-year-old. That being said, this is not a hard and fast rule and I have traveled out of state to paint.
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Do you combine live painting with guest portraits during the same event? Yes! I have done a few events that involve both a canvas painting of a specific scene as well as portraits for guests. There are so many unique ways to make this happen. For example, guest portraits can be added to the welcome party and a live painting can be made of the ceremony.
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Do you expect a tip?
I do not expect a tip! If you believe your live art experience was above and beyond, tips are welcome, but I have priced my services appropriately.
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Is there anything you won't add to a live painting?
I typically stay away from highly realistic facial features. My style is more about adding just the right amount of detail, while leaving enough space for the imagination. Capturing a moment on canvas is an opportunity to evoke a feeling in the piece rather than creating a replica of a reference photo. I also steer clear of using black in a painting unless it is needed for black suits or dresses. Colors are darkened using complements, not black, which keeps the painting rich and full of depth.
When you are not painting events, what do you enjoy creating?
I find most of my inspiration for painting from the beautiful landscapes around me. I moved to Colorado from the East Coast and can't express how much I enjoy my time spent in nature. My work is an attempt to capture the feeling of being a small person in a vast landscape. I also enjoy painting wildlife such as moose, bison, and wild horses. I have done a handful of live paintings that feature only the landscape. If you are interested in having a plein air landscape captured at your event, I am more than happy to accommodate.
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I do offer a discount for nurses, teachers, and military.
As a former teacher, married to a teacher, this is very important to me!
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