Karla Noble Lewis painted this scene from Hunter and Brittany Strickland ’ s November 2023 wedding at Highgrove Farm , Valdosta .
Lewis has had works displayed in the state Capitol and met Govs . Nathan Deal and Brian Kemp when her works were accepted by the statewide Art of Georgia competition .
She and her husband , David Lewis , have two sons , Stetson , 8 , and Ian , 2 . They live in Camilla . Karla and David began working 10-15 weddings annually as caterers / bartenders several years ago to earn extra money for vacations and Christmas .
“ We ’ re always trying to offer something no one else is doing ,” she said . Lewis saw a post about wedding paintings and “ thought it was something I could do .”
Lewis does not paint weddings in the more realistic style she prefers for her personal canvases . With photographers taking plenty of pictures , Lewis uses acrylics to paint her wedding scenes in an impressionistic style .
“ Commissions pushed me to get better faster ,” she said . “ Weddings have pushed me to get looser in my style . … Photographers capture the reality . You want something different from that painting hanging on the wall . Something a little more personal .”
As for having an audience while painting , Lewis said she ’ s used to it from art school . A teacher and other students are always looking over an artist ’ s shoulder in art classes .
Since she arrives hours before the ceremony , guests usually don ’ t see her roughing out the composition on canvas or using a grid for architectural designs .
Though in some cases , she has to make unexpected changes to the canvas once the ceremony starts .
Last November , she painted a wedding where cold weather was expected . The tent flaps were down to stave off a chill but the temperatures rose so the tent flaps were raised by the time of the ceremony . Lewis had to repaint the scene with the tent flaps up .
On another occasion , for a painting where the clients wanted to include the entire wedding party , the people were lined in the wrong order for early photographs . Lewis had to switch people in the wedding party around so they were in the proper positions .
But she ’ s grown accustomed to adapting at the event . She paints about 10 weddings a year . Spring and early summer 2024 are already booked but she has openings for this fall .
When she started about four years ago , Lewis was the only wedding painter in the area . Now , she said there are about four other area wedding painters .
“ It ’ s such a wonderful trend ,” she said . “ I would encourage anyone else doing it to reach out to me .
“ To have art in events and in your life , it ’ s the reason I became an art teacher . I want to see my students continue to have art in their lives .”
And a wedding painter is committing to having art in one of the biggest days in most people ’ s lives .
For more information on Karla Noble Lewis and her art , visit karlanoblelewis . com .
64 MoultrieScene JULY 2024