Today we’d like to introduce you to Lyssa Shurtleff.
Hi Lyssa , thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
I went to school to become an art teacher. While I was teaching art in Washington state, my sister-in-law, who is a wedding photographer, told me she saw a live artist at a wedding in Colorado. I thought it was a great idea, so I did a couple of my friend’s weddings to see if I liked it. I was hooked. Live wedding painting combines all my favorite things! I get to get all dressed up and go to fancy parties, listen to good music and paint people in love! Over the past 6 years I have been building up my brand and my portfolio. In 2020 I moved to Utah and established myself as the Utah Wedding Painter. I now offer live masterpiece paintings and watercolor guest portraits. The guest portraits trend has been so popular that I now have a team of artists that paint for me. I’ve booked over 30 weddings in 2025, my most successful year to date, and the calendar just keeps getting filled up. I have invested a lot in my business, including a professional development course with the famous wedding painter Stefanie Gaffney of Torregrossa Arts and the Entrepreneur development team at The Cheetah Collective. With the goal to provide the highest quality product and service for my clients, I am continually innovating my process and business model.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
As an artist, really all I want to do is spend time painting. The business side of the company has been a huge hurdle for me to overcome. I have built my entire website and all the administrative side of my business from scratch. Being an artist, I figured, “how hard could it be to design a website?” My current website has had a few complete overhauls, with a new reveal and new branding in the works. Social media has been another challenge for me. I don’t spend much time on social media but see it as a great tool to show the world what I have to offer. I am still learning the ropes, but I am grateful for this free marketing platform and figure I best take advantage of it.
Great, so let’s talk business. Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
Most people in Utah have not heard of live painters. This is a unique service that takes any event to the next level. Live painting is a luxurious addition to a wedding or event because it provides entertainment for the guests and at the end of the day you have a unique handmade piece of artwork to remember the day forever.
A live masterpiece painting is a larger canvas painted with high quality acrylic paint. I arrive and set up my easel and begin painting the background, waiting for the moment that the client chose for me to paint. When that moment happens, I capture it with my camera and then finish the painting from the photos. A live painting is different from photos because you get to watch the painting progress throughout the night.
I also offer watercolor guest portraits. These are quick watercolor sketches of the people in attendance. The couple often chooses this as a personalized gift for their guests.
Are there any books, apps, podcasts or blogs that help you do your best?
The book “Burnout” by Emily and Amelia Nagoski and any book by Brene Brown are excellent books that have helped me navigate the challenges of being a strong independent woman in our society. I also get a lot of strength and wisdom from Dan Harris’ podcast 10% happier.
Pricing:
- Guest portraits about $10 per person
- Masterpiece paintings start at $1,500
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.utahweddingpainter.com
- Instagram: @utahweddingpainter
