My Story is Art - Engage!12 at the Mandarin Oriental Part I

Every year, twice a year I head off to some lovely location to mingle with industry friends at the legendary wedding symposiums called Engage! The experience of Engage! goes far beyond mingling, to a higher place where like-minded artists get to let their hair down, speak freely and get to the heart of what it is we do everyday…tell love stories.

So a little peek at all the fun to start from Lori and Matt of I Do Films in Chicago…Look closely, you get to see me painting a bit in here!

Don’t let the artful decor and brilliantly branded swag be all that you see…This symposium is serious stuff and is the springboard for many innovations. At any moment you can hear the ammunition of big ideas gearing up. Small conversations by the pool, big groups laughing and dreaming up their next partnership; it all happens at Engage!, the fun of life, the beauty of life and yes the big ideas that make this life so worth it.

Mind-Blowing gifting and swag by Gifts for the Good Life

Every year I sketch Engage! I never need to look far to get inspired. This year the team at Bob Gail Events designed the stage where all the speaker magic happened. Chevron stripes, delicious patterns, texture made with succulents all wrapped up into an innovative design to catch my eye again and again. This year I went beyond the fleeting sketch, and whipped out my full palette and brushes. Each day I began I painting inspired by whatever caught my attention first.

Opening Session – Instantly enamored by the painted succulents I created a quick study…

Day 2 – Powerful words from Sharon Sacks inspired a richly colored study of the signature Engage!12 patterns and watercolor textures. Sharon remind us that we are “dream makers”. Love.