Make your event stand out by bringing fine art to your guests - live.
For a unique and memorable addition to your event, invite John Folley to bring his easel and paint for your guests' enrichment and entertainment. John's presence is guaranteed to break the ice as you and your guests engage with the painting process and learn about John's Boston School approach!
Just as a string quartet can provide elegant background music to a cocktail hour, let a real artist enhance the atmosphere in your venue.
Just as a string quartet can provide elegant background music to a cocktail hour, let a real artist enhance the atmosphere in your venue.
John is very comfortable painting in company, either indoors or en plein air. He is also happy to engage questions and discussion from attendees as he works. Your guests can actually see the progression of a fine oil painting and its completion by the time they depart!
This service is available for:
- Private parties and residential gatherings
- Corporate events and conferences
- Outdoor events (festivals, picnics, sport events)
- Restaurants
- Auctions and fundraisers
Minimal set-up is required on your end. Provide a space approximately 5x8.' John will bring his easel, paints, and all necessary equipment.
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"Seamless"
John Folley did a spectacular job for my client's wedding! He was professional, friendly and a true pleasure to work with and the entire process from inquiry to completion was seamless. Our wedding guests truly enjoyed the live painting experience that John provides and I would highly recommend John's artistic talent and services to future clients who hope to bring a truly special experience to their wedding or event! Thank you John!
- Renee Sabo, Urban Soiree Boston |
"Delightful"All rave reviews over here! John was a delightful addition to the event and added a whole new layer of thoughtfulness toward the opening of our company's new program in NH. John was terrific to engage with our guests while also executing his craft. He was accommodating, came fully prepared, and our expectations were more than met. We will recommend this line of John's work to our friends.
- Britt R. |
"Fun" John was a joy to work with and engaged throughout the process to be sure that the piece would be a success for our fundraiser. At the event itself, he was available throughout the evening for guests to speak with and explain his process and work. His work is truly remarkable and he was a highlight of the evening and a perfect complement to our “Night at the Museum” theme. It was so fun to feature such a unique component at our event! - Katie Bogart |
"Enjoy in real-time"
John’s presence gave our guests something they could enjoy in real-time. Throughout the evening, it was great to see people strolling by John and enjoying the progress that he was making throughout the event. Guests loved watching the progression of the art. John brought a wonderful, unique element to the event that most people don’t get to enjoy. It was a pleasure to see his interpretation of the garden setting.
John was professional, presentable and very polite! He was engaging to our guests and welcomed their questions and comments throughout the event. Several guests commented that it was nice to see such a unique service at the party! I would highly recommend John for anyone looking to bring in a captivating, unique entertainer.
- Kayleigh Tosches
John was professional, presentable and very polite! He was engaging to our guests and welcomed their questions and comments throughout the event. Several guests commented that it was nice to see such a unique service at the party! I would highly recommend John for anyone looking to bring in a captivating, unique entertainer.
- Kayleigh Tosches
Live Event Painting Examples:
'Fireside at the Club Restaurant' completed within three hours. 16 x 20"
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"Pheasant Weather" completed in three hours. 20 x 16"
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'Paula's garden' captured during a cocktail reception. 16x20"
'Mom's 70th' painted live during a Boston dinner party and completed in studio. 18x24"
'Boston Crusaders' painted live at a fundraiser event 16"x20"
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'USS Fearless' painted during a networking party at the Boston Park Plaza. 20x40"
'Concord, NH Stagecoach' painted live at party and finished in studio. 16"x20"
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"Classy & Effective"All of the guests at our fundraiser banquet absolutely loved engaging with John, seeing his process, and enjoying his beautiful artwork on display. He added a very unique and classy element to our evening! Raffling the painting off for our cause was an exciting and effective addition to our fundraising efforts. I hope that we will have the opportunity to have him back next year. It was fantastic!!
- Paula Shanley "Energy"
We reached out to John because my mom was having a 70th birthday party. Deirdre and John were incredibly organized and John was set up and ready to go before the party got started. He had a great eye for the family and created a beautiful painting that really captured the energy that night. The final product now hangs proudly on my parents' wall! Thank you!
- Aaron Kesselheim "Rare""Absolutely delightful! Mr. Folley is a perfect gentleman, and seeing the transformation of a plain canvas to a work of art is a rare and striking experience."
-Aja McCarthy |
"Fascinating"Having John paint for our guests at our benefit gala was a huge hit! Not only did our guests enjoy such a unique and fascinating experience of seeing him paint right there, but the raffling of the painting added a boost to our fundraising efforts! Somehow he completed a beautiful painting from start to finish in just a few hours while engaging everyone in a fun and friendly manner. After how much it was talked about and seeing the results, we are definitely hoping to partner with him again next year!
- Rebecca Urban "Living History"
We chose to have John paint live at the Open House of our historic home in Brookline. He turned out to be the perfect fit, not only for the event but also for the beautiful and historic environment of the property. It was as if he lived there and it was his own studio! He was very kind and gently engaging to everyone who came by and great in answering questions. His artistic choices blended so well with the event - it was as if he brought the historic period of the house to life!
Having John was a big plus. I would highly recommend him for any event in the luxury real estate market or related to historic homes! - Ketylina DeRenzis, Roma & York |
"Phenomenal"
"We were super happy with John's performance at our corporate event! He helped us raise a lot of money and the experience was phenomenal. I would say it was very successful; I wouldn't change anything about it!"
- Dan Bolton "Fantastic"
"Having John at our Fall Ball was fantastic. I loved how well he fit into our theme and everyone enjoyed seeing him as they passed by and then circled back around to see his process. I, too, was amazed at how quickly he worked! It all went extremely smoothly and was just perfect."
- Emily Goldman "A Joy"
John was the central entertainment at the 'Get Connected' late-night party for our corporate conference. We raffled his painting and were delighted to raise over $10,000 for our charitable cause! He did a great job performing and connecting with the crowd. It added a very exciting element to the evening and it was a joy to have him there.
- Aaron Klein, CEO, Riskalyze |
Let us arrange for your needs.
John can be a feature and focus of your event, with a heavier emphasis on demonstration, education, and interpersonal engagement; or he can be a quiet side-show, providing a subtle, fascinating element to your day or evening which your guests are sure to talk about.
We are happy to discuss different scenarios with you and make a plan that will fit the needs of your event and make the impact you are looking for!
We are happy to discuss different scenarios with you and make a plan that will fit the needs of your event and make the impact you are looking for!
"John is a very talented artist who clearly puts his heart and soul into his commissioned pieces. The painting exuded light, depth, and sophistication, which translated into an excellent live auction experience with substantial funds raised for our non-profit." |
I am so thrilled that I won John's beautiful painting in the exciting auction for which it was offered as a fundraiser. I have taken part in a lot of fundraiser auctions, but this experience stood out by far. The painting itself is a masterpiece, but beyond that, it tied to the theme of the event in a rich and meaningful way and made for a much more exciting evening. Non-profit organizations, take note! |
Investment
- Local events starting at $3400
- For painting purchases, various sizes and custom dimensions available.
- John is based in Massachusetts with his studio in Lancaster, MA. He is available for events in Central Massachusetts and the greater Boston area, including Cape Cod, New Hampshire, Vermont, Maine, and Rhode Island. He is happy to work throughout New England and maybe even beyond - just ask!
We are happy to talk through the specific price based on your needs. Please don't hesitate to be in touch to discuss the possibility of Live Painting at your event, large or small, intimate or grand.
Event Inquiry Form:
Further Options
- Book a live portrait sitting! John can bring a model with him and paint a portrait over the course of your 3-5 hour event. Your guests will enjoy the experience of a face coming to life on a canvas and become more familiar with the portrait process. The model will require several 5-10-minute breaks during the process; otherwise John can keep progressing on his painting for the duration of the event.
- For outdoor events, John can paint a landscape, cityscape, or architectural scene to capture the setting. The painting can then be available for you or your guest to purchase upon completion. Example: John could be present at your wedding reception to capture the mountain view, and then you could keep the painting as a memento from your special day! Example: John could paint the garden and atmosphere as a reminder of your garden party!
- Book a themed painting session! John can work with you to envision a still life or scene from imagination that would embody your event. The painting would then be available for you or your guest to purchase upon completion. Example: For a corporate wine-tasting event, John could set up a still life with wine bottles, grapes, a basket, bread, and cheese. Example: For your Fairy Tale-themed gala, John could paint a fantastical scene including a dragon and a knight, from imagination.
Raffle option: For your fundraiser, have John's painting from that event to be raffled off to the attending crowd. We can arrange to have proceeds from the raffle donated to your institution/charity. Be in touch to find out if this could work for your next event!
"A European experience"Ours was a formal cultural occasion and John's presence certainly added to the nobility and charm of the evening. Guests fondly spoke of him as 'the artist' and it only seemed natural that his work, the clinking of glasses amongst conversation, and the notes of the piano mingled in the hall. He widened the experience of our gala and several guests happily remarked that his presence really allowed for what one might call a "European experience." John was lovely to work with, very accommodating and courteous.
- Sara Kitzinger |
"Enriching"We decided to include John as entertainment during our institutional fundraiser dinner, along with our live music and speakers. John's manner was welcoming - he kept talking to guests throughout the whole evening and was very engaging, approachable, and friendly. The crowd was intrigued to see his progress as the evening went on and having him painting there definitely enriched the event. I wouldn't change anything about having him come; we were very pleased!
- Elizabeth Gilleran |
"Warm & inviting"We decided to change up our Acoustic Brunch recently and invited local artist John Folley to do a live painting while our members enjoyed their meal. It was a big hit! We found our members intrigued as John maneuvered his way through the start of his work to the very end. He was warm and inviting and answered all questions in a professional, yet casual and down-to-earth way. Families wound up staying longer than anticipated and just watched him work while they sipped their mimosas. We would definitely bring John back for another event and highly recommend his talents if you are looking for something different and artistic!
- JoAnn Parks |