Daily Inspiration: Meet Jillian Darville

Today we’d like to introduce you to Jillian Darville.

Jillian, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
I’ve been doing Live Wedding Painting since 2014 when I was a sophomore in college getting my degree in painting and drawing. It really found me more than I sought it out. A few of my friends were getting married and had seen Live Wedding Paintings on Pinterest. I agreed to try it out for their weddings at a low cost and over the years people kept asking me to paint their weddings. It grew from friends, to mutual friends, to strangers, and eventually to so many inquiries that I turn down tenfold the amount of weddings that I’m able to take on. It’s slowly evolved into the business it is today. My sole focus is now weddings. I do impressionistic Live Wedding Paintings on canvas, as well as watercolor guest portraits on site.

Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
It feels like such a honed process now that it doesn’t seem like it was a bumpy road to get here, but there was truly such a learning curve and so much trial and error along the way. I’ve learned things to add to my contract and painting process through feedback and my experience. I look back at some of my early paintings and can clearly see how much my skill has improved over 11 years of painting in the wedding industry. I would say the biggest struggle for me was all of the business savvy that you’re required to have as an entrepreneur. I’m an introverted creative and have learned how to create a website, manage business finances, advertise myself, answer regular inquiries and emails with various venues and planners, and even interact with hundreds of wedding guests in one night during a wedding. Those are all muscles I’ve had to really work for, but 11 years in I’m confident and comfortable in those roles.

Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
I’m a Live Wedding Painter. I specialize in impressionist canvas paintings from life of my clients’ wedding days. I can paint their ceremony, first dance, reception time, or the couple in front of their venue. I also specialize in wedding guest portraits. For these, I capture photos of wedding guests that come to my table during the cocktail hour and reception and paint 5×7” watercolor portraits of them. My wedding paintings make the such a fun and interactive experience for the couple’s wedding guests and a keepsake as well. I’m so proud of the work that I’ve created, the brand that I’ve built, and it makes my heart swell to think of all of the homes that my paintings are hanging in- it’s become too many to count!

Before we let you go, we’ve got to ask if you have any advice for those who are just starting out?
So many things come to mind for advice for those starting out. I love helping other artists who are beginning their Live Wedding Painting businesses. Here are a few core values in my business:

-Community over competition.
Be genuinely kind to those in your industry and see them as friends and community, not competitors. I don’t even like to think of building business relationships as networking- more of building friendships with people who are alongside you so that you can cheer for and support one another.

-Dress for the job you want.
An integral part of my business is fashion. This may sound confusing to some, but it’s all part of building my brand and dressing in a fashionable way (in the same dress code as the wedding guests) is not only fun for me, but it makes my offerings more high end and looks great in the professional photographs that the couple is having done. It levels up the whole experience of having a live painter at your event and gives the couple confidence that you’re a true professional and have great taste.

-Curate your opportunities
This is a huge one for me and something I think that makes me unique in the wedding painting industry. It can be tempting- especially when you’re getting started- to take any and every opportunity that comes your direction. But I’ve learned that in the wedding industry, if you want to work at particular high end venues you can work at your dream venues over and over again if you pour yourself into getting to know that community. Build relationships with the wedding planners that are always tagged in their photos. Have a styled shoot and headshots done by a photographer that frequents those venues. Ask the venue if you can be a part of their bridal showcase. Once you book a few weddings, find out if you can be on the venues and planners’ preferred vendor lists. This is how I have curated my opportunities. I will also say no to weddings at less desirable locations, knowing that my dream venues will soon contact me about the same date. It takes a bit of risk at first, but this is how you break into the high end clientele! You don’t have to be exclusive or only use a certain list of venues, but there’s value in being intentional in your “Yes”.

-Be unoffendable
Don’t sweat the small stuff! Critiques are either learning experiences or coming from someone who doesn’t quite vibe with your particular style- this is going to happen for the most talented creatives of any kind. Over time your people will fall in love with your work and seek you out.

-Your pricing should grow with your demand, but remain within reason.
I have seen artists lean too far in both directions, either underpricing themselves or asking for too much right off the bat before they have the experience and technique to back it up. I think it’s key to have a gradual price increase as the demand for your work naturally grows.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://jilliandarville.com
• Instagram: jillian.darville.art