Vendor Spotlight! Jennie Lou Art, Live Wedding Painting

April 26, 2018

Jennie Pitts, an artist full of joy and fun, creates the most beautiful paintings that represent such a special day for Brides and Grooms all over the country. We have had the pleasure of working with Jennie and watching her artwork come to life over the course of just a few hours. She engages the guests, incorporates the atmosphere and has fun with what she does. Continue reading to follow the journey of Jennie Lou Art and the personality behind her art!

1. KKWE: Tell us a little bit about yourself and your business.

Jennie Pitts: As with most good stories, the story of Jennie Lou Art is no short story. I am always happy to share the longer version with anyone who wants to meet for coffee sometime. But, for now, the shorter version goes like this –

I was born and raised in Austin, Texas and graduated with a BFA in graphic design from Baylor University in 2012. After college, I wanted to do something to make the world a better place, so I set off as a Teacher for America Corps member near Charleston, South Carolina. I taught 6th grade World History, and after a couple years, found myself feeling like an old lady in a 23 year old’s body. When an opportunity to move to Boulder, Colorado arose, I jumped at the thought of fresh mountain air and a new beginning. Within a week, I put my stuff in my car and drove across the country in 2014 – calling my parents on the way to tell them where they could find me. Once in Colorado, I had my hands in many jobs over the course of a year – YoungLife children’s ministry, girls foster home, nannying, barista, and finally a pediatric orthodontist assistant (after meeting a doctor on an airplane).

My first year in Boulder just felt confusing, and often times, overwhelming. But painting and creativity was always an outlet for me. Friends and family knew it was a past time I enjoyed, so one day, one friend in particular had me paint a painting on her porch. It turned out to be a beautiful floral painting, with lots of loose brushstrokes and bright colors. After years of striving to find myself, and anxiously trying to be achieve someone I could never quite become, my paintbrush gave me a release and an opportunity to be honest with my natural style and ability. I was immediately overcome with joy and a sense of freedom.

Somehow that painting found its way onto social media, and the spark caught flame… I received an overwhelming amount of emails and feedback encouraging me to paint more. Supported by my friends and family, I started a website and made some business cards, and the next thing you know, I was painting full time within a year. During that year, I painted a friend’s wedding for fun, and then I painted another, and another, and then I had people offering to fly my across the nation just to paint their weddings. It was a dream I never knew I had, and I still wonder how in the world I get to do this for a living!

2. KKWE: When you’re working on a wedding or event, how do you usually interact with the other vendors? What is your experience working with Kelly Karli Weddings and Events?

Jennie Pitts: If you ever meet me, you will immediately be greeted with a smile and several questions. My fiancé always jokes about how I have never met a stranger, I can talk to a brick wall for days and I can’t stand sitting in silence. I always enjoy engaging new vendors and clients, not to mention meeting a wide variety of guests from all over the country. Working with KKWE at Beano’s Cabin a few years ago, I remember their genuine kindness and authentic approach to weddings. There is always a huge difference in planners who smile and seem to care about each vendor – KKWE know how to create an atmosphere of warmth.

3. KKWE: How would you describe your style or aesthetic?

Jennie Pitts: My approach to painting is considered abstract, impressionism. I use layers of colors, a wide variety of brushstrokes, and value changes to create an emotional expression of an event. Although, over time, I have watched my style become more refined and I tend to incorporate more detail than I have in the past. One of my main concerns in painting a wedding is to simplify the scene and not over-crowd the painting, making it feel chaotic.

4. KKWE: What or who inspires you in life and in your work?

Jennie Pitts: As far as art inspiration – Monet and the great Impressionist Masters continue to give me confidence in my loose style, and natural approach to painting. I used to experience a lot of doubt and insecurities about my work. But, I have learned to stand firm in what comes naturally to me, and believe the world can value paintings that do not look super realistic. There’s something to be said about a painting being a painting with distinguishable brushstrokes and texture – my paintings are never intended play the role of photography.

Otherwise, in life, my Christian faith drives me. I truly believe, weddings are a beautiful reflection of an eternal reality. Painting in its purest form is a quiet and gentle expression of grace. To combine the two, creates a memorable and unique experience for the people attending the wedding.

5. KKWE: How would you describe your creative process?

Jennie Pitts: When I start painting I often remind myself of three words: “Spontaneous, Joyful, Uncertainty”. Spontaneity allows me the freedom to express whatever comes without fearing the restrictions of an ideal image, or perfectionism. Joy reminds me my identity is not ultimately determined by what people say, or think of me, but by a deeper belief in who I was created to be. As I hold my paintbrush and stare at a blank canvas, I have to choose to embrace uncertainty and paint free from anxiety to control the end result. We all have to confidently approach our jobs offering our very best, certain we are being led where we need to go and given the courage to perform the task at hand.

6. KKWE: What’s your favorite way to unwind?

Jennie Pitts: Ohh, I love running! I always feel so free when I put on my tennis shoes and step outside, especially on mountain trails.

7. KKWE: If you weren’t a live wedding planner, what would you want to do?

Jennie Pitts: If I were not an artist, I think I might be a pilot, oddly enough. I have always loved flying in airplanes and my Dad, my brother and my fiancé have their pilots license. There’s something about being so high above the world that makes you feel so free and alive, detached from any of the stress below.