From the initial creative vision to the final piece, Ben Keys Fine Art Studio delivers artistry, professionalism, and heirloom quality.
"The painting was such a fun part that our guests loved and we are still hearing compliments of how special it was. We had an outdoor ceremony under oak trees in a park and Ben captured it so perfectly! Ben and Jennifer Keys were both so personable and professional with us and our guests that we couldn’t be happier. Now we have a gorgeous painting that was created right where we said our vows to remember our special day!"
It all starts with a plan. We plan a creative call one month before the event to walk through the key people and details to include in the painting. (All of them, we know!)
Ben will arrive a few hours early to set up and begin painting live. As guests arrive, they see the beginning stages of the sketch and watch the painting come to life. The biggest crowd forms around the easel the moment Ben adds you into the painting!
... for in studio finishing touches! Ben values this time refining the details ... and this is usually when he adds in the pups!
The best part. We send a digital preview of your finished live wedding painting 8-10 weeks after the big day. Once we hear you love the piece, we arrange to have the painting shipped or coordinate local pickup.
Pop the Bubbly ... or Bourbon, it's time to find the perfect wall in your home to style your wedding painting.
To complement your original wedding painting, Ben Keys offers additional canvas prints, stationery, and framing options. These optional enhancements are exquisite ways to showcase your original piece.
As a professional artist, Ben ensures canvas prints and stationery are high-quality reproductions of the original work to main the artistic integrity of each piece. Frames have been carefully selected and assembled with professional framing techniques to display your artwork.
Ben uses acrylic paint for his live wedding paintings. They are fast drying, odorless, and so vibrant in color!
After each wedding, Ben brings the live painting back to our studio in Charleston, SC, for finishing touches.
We use a local shipping company that specializes in packaging fine art for the premier Charleston art galleries. They paintings arrive to you "ready to style": stretched, wired, and ready to hang!
Yes! For the last 10 years, the majority of our weddings have been out-of-state. True Story: Ben can breeze through TSA faster with a paint kit than Jen can her makeup bag.
Our Creative Call is planned about one month leading up to the wedding. We do not need to know the subject of the painting in order to book your date.
Yes! Could there be a more special wedding gift for a newly married couple? We love sharing successful SURPRISE live paintings pulled off over the years!
Yes! Ben can talk and paint at the same time, and loves engaging with your guests. We absolutely embrace the entertainment side of the live painting!
We are flexible with your ceremony or reception space! Plan on a 10x10ft area for guests to comfortably gather to view the painting throughout the night.
No! We love keeping Ben's setup minimal! Ben actually prefers to paint standing and his easel holds everything he needs to create the painting.
Framing is completely optional! The painting arrives "ready to style" with edges painted and properly wired. Canvas Floater Frames are available as an additional purchase
Yes! We are happy to assist you in bringing your painting to life through additional printed pieces, such as thank you cards and personal stationery.
Our couples book as much as 10-18 months in advance. His calendar fills quickly as he typically only accepts one out-of-state wedding per weekend.
at capturing what scenery and people truly look like while still putting his own unique touch on the painting. As a bonus, he and his lovely wife Jennifer are a pleasure to work with and our guests really enjoyed watching the painting progress during the reception. I know this is something that we will always treasure."
Tammy
Our couples
have an eye for the finer details
Our couples
treasure lasting family heirlooms
"We hired Ben before our daughter was even engaged!"
When trend becomes tradition. Quite possibly the highest compliment we could ever receive is being hired by families to create live paintings for each sibling. After painting for her sister years before, Rhett's mom knew she wanted to have Ben return to paint another.
Rhett & robbie