Live Painting at the Telfair Ball
Honoring the Telfair Academy | Telfair Ball, Savannah
Live Painting at the Telfair Ball
A Portrait of Bob Jepson at the Telfair Academy, Savannah
The Telfair Academy has long stood at the cultural heart of Savannah. Over the years, I have spent countless hours within its galleries—studying the portraits of John Singer Sargent and standing before the classical works that quietly shape the way I approach painting today.
When the Telfair Museums invited me to create work for the Telfair Ball, I felt a deep sense of honor. The opportunity was twofold: to paint the Telfair Academy itself for display during the evening, and to create a live portrait of Bob Jepson—a figure whose legacy is woven into the museum through the Jepson Center for Contemporary Art.
The Telfair Academy | Telfair Ball, Savannah
Painting the Telfair Academy
The painting of the Academy emerged through a careful observation of light—those fleeting moments where shadow and illumination define form. The building’s distinctive yellow façade, rich with ochre tones, became the anchor of the composition.
Framed by live oaks and set against a clear coastal sky, the architecture carries a quiet sense of permanence. Marble sculptures—figures of artists from centuries past—line the façade, offering a subtle reminder that this place has long been a home for artistic tradition.
In approaching the painting, I was less interested in strict documentation and more in capturing the atmosphere of the Academy as it is experienced: warm, luminous, and deeply rooted in the visual language of the South.
All Smiles While Live Painting | Hunter Hennes Photography
The Live Painting Experience
The portrait itself was created live during the evening—a process that transformed the act of painting into part of the event.
Working alongside Tarra Skinner Events, we designed the experience to unfold naturally within the rhythm of the night. The painting began during cocktail hour and continued through the closing reception, allowing guests to witness the portrait as it gradually came to life.
Live painting offers something unique. It invites conversation, curiosity, and a shared sense of anticipation. Throughout the evening, I had the opportunity to speak with guests, answer questions, and allow the process itself to become part of the experience.
By the end of the night, the portrait stood not only as a finished work, but as a moment many had watched unfold.
Bob Jepson’s Portrait Study | In Progress
A Portrait of Bob Jepson
Creating Bob Jepson’s portrait within this context meant carrying that same sense of place into the figure.
The light, the sky, and the surrounding landscape became essential elements of the composition—echoing the environment that has shaped so much of Savannah’s visual identity. At the same time, the portrait called for something more personal.
Jepson was depicted alongside his 1920s Rolls-Royce Phantom, a detail that speaks not only to his character, but to a broader appreciation for craftsmanship and legacy. His expression—warm, familiar, and welcoming—was central to the painting.
The aim was not simply likeness, but presence.
Portrait of Bob Jepson | Live Painting
Painting, Place, and Heritage
Experiences like the Telfair Ball serve as a reminder of why portrait painting continues to matter.
Within a setting like Savannah—where history, architecture, and culture remain so closely intertwined—a painted portrait becomes part of a larger story. It reflects not only the individual, but the place and traditions that surround them.
For me, this work continues to be rooted in what might be described as Southern heritage painting—an approach that seeks to capture the people, landscapes, and quiet rituals that define the American South.
Inquiries
I welcome inquiries regarding portrait commissions, live painting experiences, and future collaborations.
For those interested in commissioning a portrait, you can learn more about the process here:
