Jason and Amy’s wedding in the Philippines was my first international painting commission, and also unique in that I was brought in by the venue, rather than the couple. The family resort where this reception scene unfolded had pulled out all the stops in preparation for this wedding. Colorful pavilions were built, fans and other creature comforts were installed, and, get this… a swimming pool was even dug for the big event!!
With such unrestrained enthusiasm going into the preparation for this event, I knew it deserved a large painting and a complex, lively scene. Travelling with large canvases presents a whole other host of challenges, so I ended up deciding to paint the event as a triptych – a collection of three canvas, all coming together to make the full image. Since I was in tropical paradise, I got the help of resort staff to get a rod of bamboo to use to hold the canvases together for the painting process.
The extravaganza in the event space is really the main focus of this unique piece, and the bridal couple join us as observers of the whirling scene in motion. Knowing who an image is for is crucial in making a painting that will be a hit for their viewing.
