Live Event Painting Examples and other News

I painted this live event digital painting at the Virgin Atlantic San Francisco Inaugural 30th Anniversary celebration (and 40th anniversary of the founding of Virgin Atlantic), co-organized by the Trade & Investment Department of the British Consulate General San Francisco at The Center for Architecture + Design in downtown San Fransisco. I was invited to perform at this event because of my connection to the original Virgin Atlantic San Francisco Inaugural back in 1994 on which I was participated as part of the VIP guest group. I drew a digital portrait from life of Sir Richard Branson, founder of Virgin Atlantic, in flight using a prototype Apple PowerBook borrowed from Apple! To paint the scene and capture the energy and atmosphere this 30th anniversary celebration I used an Apple iPad Pro, Apple Pencil and the Procreate app. An interesting reflection that I used technology from the same company thirty years later! The artwork in progress was shown on a large flat panel display so guests could enjoy watching the painting as it evolved over time (and sometimes watch themselves be depicted in the artwork!)

Here are some photos from the event:

Click on the icons above, or on this link, to be taken to the Apple App Store (iOS) to download the free AR app HidNFlix. I use the HidNFlix app to augment this artwork. Currently HidNFlix works only on the iOS platform (iPhone, iPad, etc). You’ll be able to see the embedded video when you view the image (print or on screen) through the scanning mode of the app.

Painting the Sunset at the Davis Estates, Calistoga, Napa Valley, Jeremy Sutton, 2024, 48″ x 24″, acrylic on canvas

The 24″ x 48″ acrylic paintings on canvas shown here on this page were painted live at two consecutive Wine Club dinner events at the Davis Estates winery in Napa Valley, Calistoga, California. The one at the top of this page was the Saturday night painting. You’ll see the Friday night painting further down the page (see below). The paintings were created from blank canvases. Guests enjoyed watching the process from beginning to end. I was positioned on the winery’s outdoor terrace with panoramic views. Each painting was painted from direct observation of the scene in front of me—the magnificent sunset view over the vineyards and across the valley, and then the dinner scene. At the end of each evening the painting was raffled off to one of the guests to home with them! The time lapse video I share here is of the Saturday night painting process. It was a spectacular sunset! In the space of a few minutes the skies lit up in the most amazing golden hues in the clouds set against deep azure blue skies.

The winning couple, Jim and Cecily, who won the raffle to take home the Saturday night painting, posing here with myself and the finished artwork.

The winning couple, Janet and Mike, who won the raffle to take home the Friday night painting, posing here with me on the left and Davis Estates founder Mike Davis and his son Brandon, Director of Brand Development, on the right.

Myself with Mike Davis, the founder and owner of Davis Estates, and the Friday night painting.

Click on the icons above, or on this link, to be taken to the Apple App Store (iOS) to download the free AR app HidNFlix. I use the HidNFlix app to augment the Saturday night (October 26, 2024) artwork. Currently HidNFlix works only on the iOS platform (iPhone, iPad, etc). You’ll be able to see the embedded time-lapse video when you view the Saturday night artwork (actual artwork or it’s image on screen) through the scanning mode of the app.

I painted this digital painting live at Web’s 50th birthday “YOLO” (You Only Live Once) celebration in the Cyrus Restaurant, Geyserville, California. The restaurant has floor to ceiling windows that look out over the beautiful vineyards of Alexander Valley in the heart of Sonoma County wine country. You’ll see in the time lapse progression video, shown above, that I started with a background that included some family photos; then painted the guests visiting the kitchen, then captured the view out of the dining room windows as guests mingled outside and the sun set; then the dinner; the children playing in their entertainment space; and, finally, the end-of-the-evening chocolate room! All in one painting!! I used an iPad Pro, Apple Pencil and the Procreate app. The artwork in progress was shown on a large flat panel display so guests could enjoy watching the painting evolve over time.

Click on the icons above, or on this link, to be taken to the Apple App Store (iOS) to download the free AR app HidNFlix. I use HidNFlix to augment this artwork. You’ll be able to see the embedded video when you view the image (print or on screen) through the scanning mode of the app.

“Roses” – final (stage 6)

The digital painting shown here, “Roses”, was created from life as a live painting demonstration over the three days of my Fall Open Studios, September 27 – 29, 2024. I used the iPad pro, Apple Pencil and Procreate app to make this sketch. The image above (with the time lapse replay video) is the final state of the artwork. Below are a couple of earlier stages as it progressed, plus a picture from the studio that weekend as I worked on the painting.

“Roses” – stage 1

“Roses” – stage 4

Click on the icons above, or on this link, to be taken to the Apple App Store (iOS) to download the free AR app HidNFlix. I use the HidNFlix app to augment this artwork. Currently HidNFlix works only on the iOS platform (iPhone, iPad, etc). You’ll be able to see the embedded video when you view the image (actual artwork or on screen) through the scanning mode of the app.

I’ll also share some of my latest plein air watercolor sketches (non-digital!).

I painted this digital painting live at a reception event in a historic building in the South of Market district of San Francisco. The event welcomed some new tenants in the building. I incorporated the building interior motif into my background pattern that you see at the beginning of the replay video.

I used an iPad Pro, Apple Pencil and the Procreate app. The iPad screen was projected on a large flat panel display mounted on the wall so guests could enjoy watching the painting evolve over time.

I painted this digital painting live at a corporate dinner / reception in the iconic SFMOMA Atrium. I incorporated in the artwork signature landmarks of the San Francisco cityscape, such as the Transamerica building, Coit Tower, Salesforce Tower, the Golden Gate Bridge.

I used an iPad Pro, Apple Pencil and the Procreate app. The iPad screen was projected on a large flat panel display so guests could enjoy watching the painting evolve over time. As you can see from the photos below guests enjoyed engaging about the artwork and painting process and enjoyed seeing themselves represented in the painting!

The fabulous event was produced and designed by Whitney Fusion. Project manager Marjolein Daas wrote in a LinkedIn post:
“One highlight of this evening was the attendance of Jeremy Sutton who captivated our guests and offered an interactive art experience that everyone loved.”

This painting was painted live at a wedding in the beautiful Sonoma Wine Country.

The scene I painted from direct observation was the wedding dinner and dancing surrounded by vineyards. The painting was created live over about four hours using an iPad Pro, Apple Pencil and the Procreate app. The iPad screen was projected on a large flat panel display so the wedding party and their guests could enjoy watching the painting evolve over time.

This digital painting was painted live at CREATE!, free public event in Downtown San Francisco https://downtownsf.org/things-to-do/create CREATE! was a wonderful “only in San Francisco” celebration of creativity and the performing, literary and visual arts that took place at the historic Landing at Leidesdorff, next to the Transamerica Pyramid, where the financial district of downtown San Francisco intersects with the North Beach, Chinatown and the old Barbary Coast neighborhoods. The celebration was produced by The Downtown SF Partnership, a nonprofit funded by property and business owners in the downtown district which covers the Financial District and Jackson Square.

I was located at the intersection of Leidesdorff and Commercial Streets, a picturesque pedestrian area free of cars, and created the colorful digital painting of the vibrant scene that you see featured here on this page. My view included a wonderful mural, titled “Beyond the Sea – the life and legacy of Captain Leidesdorff,” created by the Twin Walls Mural Company. https://www.sf.gov/news/mayor-breed-celebrates-launch-new-landing-leidesdorff-downtown-destination Visitors were able to watch my brush strokes unfold in real time on a large display and see my creative process as I painted what I saw (using an iPad Pro, Apple Pencil and the Procreate app).

CREATE! honored the historical artistic significance of the Montgomery Block, affectionately known as ‘Monkey Block,’ an artist enclave that once flourished on the site now occupied by the Transamerica Pyramid. Over its nearly century-long existence, this building was a hub for housing and hosting notable artists, both literary and visual, including Frida Kahlo, Jack London, Robert Louis Stevenson, Dorothea Lange, Diego Rivera, Ambrose Bierce, Bret Harte, and Mark Twain. https://www.sfchronicle.com/chronicle_vault/article/Iconic-SF-building-was-home-to-Bohemians-for-13340080.php https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Montgomery_Block

The Landing at Leidesdorff, where I was located, is named after Captain William Alexander Leidesdorff, Jr., the country’s first African-American diplomat amongst many firsts, and one San Francisco’s most notable founders.

William Alexander Leidesdorff (1810-1848)

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Leidesdorff It is called “Landing” since in the 19th century it was where ships landed and was the original coastline walked by SF’s earliest inhabitants. https://downtownsf.org/things-to-do/landing-at-leidesdorff/history

Thank you to The Downtown SF Partnership team!

Here are photos from the event:

Photo: Kevin Adams for The Downtown SF Partnership

Photo: Kevin Adams for The Downtown SF Partnership

Photo: Kevin Adams for The Downtown SF Partnership

This digital painting was painted live at a company HQ Soirée gathering at the Barnes Foundation in Philadelphia, PA. The artwork depicts the scene both outside in the courtyard where I was located, and inside in the magnificent atrium where the band played. I started with a custom background that I created using textures from the floors, doors, walls and paintings in the museum. The artwork was displayed in real time as it was created on a large 82″ flat panel LED display positioned behind me as I painted.