Ideal for retailers or businesses looking to host a unique in-store event, build customer relationships and boost sales.
A live painting event provides your shoppers with a unique experience, a thoughtful gifting item for themselves or others, it gives you an opportunity to build and expand customer relationships, separates your in-store experience from a generic on-line experience AND GETS PEOPLE IN THE DOOR!
Businesses are asked to cover a flat fee in advance, but recoup their investment by pro-rating the expense to guests. I can paint 20 5" x 7" paintings in a day . Retailers are encouraged to set their own price for the paintings. The financial goal for most retailers is simply to cover their expenses, make a small profit and get customers in the door to shop for OTHER goods while they wait for their paintings.
I will provide an invitation template and images. You are welcome to use whatever you feel is best for your marketing strategy. Hosts are encouraged to post their event on social media 10-21 days prior to the event (or whatever feels right for you)... this amount of time encourages guests to respond quickly and keeps it on their mind so they do not forget to come. Several hosts have created Facebook event pages, posted it on Instagram and/or made personal calls to clients. MOST PAST EVENTS HAVE SOLD OUT WITHIN A DAY! It is important to tell people this when you share your event to encourage them to sign up quickly!
Guests are asked to sign up for a fifteen minute appointment in advance. This allows hosts to maximize their investment, while also ensuring clients are in your store/ space all day long.
Please use the sign up sheet provided. When guests sign up, we ask for customers’ names, telephone numbers (in case they don’t show or need to pick up their piece later) and their Instagram handle (so we can post snippets of the event and tag both the store and guest) afterwards. This is great post-event marketing for the store, boosting engagement all around... and guests LOVE this part of it!
I will arrive at your space 30-45 minutes before the event starts. I will need a copy of the schedule, and a table and chair to work at... it does not have to be TOO large, but I do need some room to spread out my supplies. Hosts often ask if I would prefer to be in the center of things or in a quiet spot... I LOVE to be in the center of the room... and it is also best for your event, as it breeds interest in future events. (Every store that has ever hosted an event instantly books a second date!) Unless specifically requested not to, my small rescue dog Vincent Van Gogh, comes along for the day and stays quietly in his stroller. He adds extra flare to the performance.
Guests can be painted live and on the spot, but most guests prefer to bring a photo with them for me to paint live in your space. I can work off of printed pictures (preferred because it works better for post-event Instagram videos) or images on guests’ phones alike. I will capture the likeness of the provided photo in a quick and quirky, artistic way. Please note, these are not highly detailed pieces and levels of detail achieved vary based on the intricacy of the picture provided. At past events, I have painted family portraits, pet portraits, flowers, houses and more! In this 15 minute period, I can paint a MAXIMUM of 4 people. If additional people are desired, guests are asked to sign up (and pay) for a second consecutive time slot. Please make this known at the time of booking to avoid day-of confusion and disappointment.
Each painting will take 15 minutes of active painting time to complete, but I alternate working on multiple paintings at a time, allowing paint to dry, so the overall completion time is about 45 minutes to an hour. During this time, guests are free to stay and watch me work or wander about the event, picking up their unique art piece on the way out the door.
Some retailers opt to display/sell 5” x 7” picture frames at an upcharge. Around holidays, this is a particularly good idea, as many people have given the paintings as gifts.
A 50% non-refundable deposit is due at the time of booking and the remaining balance is due the day of the event. Should the host cancel the event for any reason, we can reschedule, but your deposit will not be returned. Should Laura cancel the event due to illness or emergency circumstances only, we will work with you to set a new date. If a guest signs up for a time slot, but cannot attend in person, they can submit their image digitally and pick up their painting at a later date. Should the event not sell out, Laura will paint images of the host's requests- either for personal use or for professional use (marketing images for the store).
Please note, the reason that I ask stores to pay me for the event (rather than charging customers directly) is because I want you to be equally invested in and excited about the event and proactive about the marketing and bookings. I am CONFIDENT that you will fully recoup your investment for the day (and more). The reason that I ask for a non-refundable deposit is because in the past, I have reserved dates (that other stores have requested) and then been cancelled on the day prior. In this scenario, I lose a day's work and another store loses the opportunity for an event. I appreciate your understanding on these matters.
"Shopping small is about more than just products. It’s about community and connection."
- Megan Hageman, Success.com
"Recent statistics show that the majority of shoppers prefer to- and still are- shopping small. Small retail businesses are thriving because customers are craving interaction, attention and personal connection. Successful brick and mortars are setting themselves apart by providing unique events and experiential activities that build and grow these personal relationships."
- Paraphrased from Emily Gray, Founder of The Wholesale Way and The Flourish Market
"We've had Laura in our store providing live, on-the-spot paintings a handful of times and every single time she amazes both our staff and customers with her talent. We always say we could stand and watch her paint all day. Every event we've offered has sold out day-of, people calling and messaging as soon as times are released. Our customers are anxious to get a spot reserved and there are always people who pop in on the day-of, see what she's doing, and ask if they can sneak a picture in real quick! Laura makes it so easy to plan and market as well, providing a custom image to post on our socials and the time-slots for what she's able to accommodate. There is truly no one kinder. Laura is a breath of fresh air and every single time she's in our store, people are drawn to her. Not only to her talent as an artist, but her overall aura. She's a delight. We always say our live-painting events are a win-win-win. We as a business get a steady flow of customers, shopping while they wait for their painting to be done; Laura gets to do what she loves; and our customers get an amazing and unique painting to take away."
-Kyli & Stacie The Brass Horn Too, Decatur, Illinois
"Laura absolutely worked pure magic with her paintbrush! She took a photo of my three pups and another of my sweet boy, and blended them into one watercolor. It feels like a perfect little scene from my heart, and it makes me so happy every time I see it. It’s framed in my living room and will forever be one of my favorite treasures! I hope to add more pictures to my collection!"
-Ashley
I had so much fun attending one of Laura Wright’s live painting events! I really can’t say enough great things about it! She is incredibly talented, & I was in awe watching her bring my photos to life with watercolor! I already love to buy gifts at Lusso in Clayton, MO so when I found out Laura would be there from her Instagram stories, I knew I had to grab an appointment! What a great way to bring people in to shop while they watch as Laura creates a masterpiece! I had Laura do a painting for me and I also surprised a friend with one of Laura’s paintings for her birthday! It was a perfect birthday gift; my friend LOVED it! Laura’s live events are a must do!"
-Kristin
"My mother-in-law gifted myself and my sister-in-law with a family watercolor portrait for Mother's Day. We spent the morning shopping at the Brass Horn Too while Laura turned our pictures into art. It was such an amazing process to watch. It is truly the most special gift I've been given. Every time we have someone visit our home, they compliment the portrait of my family. I live over two hours from The Brass Horn Too and I would make a trip just for Laura's events!"
-Rebecca
