Live Painting Grammy Award Winner Neal Smith

I discovered my talent for live drawing by accident. I have ADHD, so I've always found it difficult to enjoy live performances fully. My mind would start racing, and I'd begin to fidget, and the next thing I knew, I would have missed entire chunks of the performance. So, one day, I decided to bring my little sketchbook in my purse to see a performance at the New England Botanic Garden.

Once my pencil started moving, I was completely engulfed in the music. I was hyperfocused and could feel the guitarist's energy swirling around and through me. The two-hour performance felt like about fifteen minutes. Fast-forward a few years, and live painting is now my favorite way to enjoy live music.

I was hired by El Toro Promotions to document Neal Smith's historic visit to Fitchburg State University on May 1st. He began by teaching a masterclass, during which I painted the above portrait. I chose the colors based on Neal's energy and tone of voice. When I showed it to him after the class, he loved it so much that he wanted to buy it on the spot!

Photo Credit - Fitchburg State University

Everything about my live paintings are completely improvised and intuitive. In order to paint a moving subject that quickly, you sort of have to turn off your conscious mind. You have to use a combination of your subconscious and muscle memory. Many audience members complimented me on my work and remarked that their eyes kept bouncing between Neal and my painting the whole time. It was like watching a performance during a performance! A big benefit of shutting off my conscious mind is that I don't get self-conscious about people watching me work. There's just no mental space available to worry about anything. I have to be completely focused on my subject. It is incredibly mentally taxing while also being soothing at the same time. I can't wait for my next opportunity to live paint an event!

Read more about Neal's vist on the FSU blogs here and here!

I you'd like to hire me to live paint your next event, you can book me here!