By Doug Chorpenning

If a picture tells a thousand words, what does a painting say?
 
Based on our experience, a painting can express the essence of an event in such a remarkable way like no other. We have been promoting the live event art experience for the last 10 years.  Knowing that our clients are always looking for innovative ways to engage with their attendees, we have found live event art a way to punctuate an event in a very meaningful way.
 
One of the most prolific and talented live event artists is a proud NOLA resident, John Bukaty.  He has painted hundreds of live events including concerts, corporate meetings and incentives, festivals and sporting events.
 
Recently, he conducted a “Digging Deeper” Art Experience during a Presidents’ Retreat in Moab.  The audience prided themselves on their Kevlar exterior and successful persona.  However, John was able to cut through their persona and get to the real human inside.  The result was nothing less than transformative.  He also hiked 30 minutes with a canvas on his back to capture Corona Arch, which is where the event kicked off with a gathering under the arch and a couple inspirational presentations.
 
Not only does the live painting experience contribute to the overall engagement  value of a particular event (Welcome Reception, Golf Tournament, Final Night Dinner, etc), but it can become the signature amenity presented by client to all attendees.  Original prints can range from $50-$200 each—signed limited edition prints by the artist.
 
So, if you are looking for that one way to really connect with your audience, consider engaging a live event artist.  However, this art form requires years and years of live event experience and a certain knack for really capturing the essence of an event.   When hiring an artist, be sure that their style and quality jives with your expectations.  If you have any questions or would like to learn more about the live event art experience, please shoot me a note—doug@wetpaintgroup.com
 
Here is a link to a short video of John’s artistic style
https://vimeo.com/112237570
 
Doug Chorpenning is the founder and CEO of the wet paint group.  wet paint specializes in corporate messaging, branding, & experiential marketing.  Prior to wet paint, he owned and managed the hip performance group (a boutique branding & event management agency) from 2000-2010.
 
His visionary leadership style & unique approach to creativity, branding and storytelling have allowed him to work with a wide variety of organizations, such as:  Sysco, Time Warner, Apple, Western Union, Zappos, Office Depot, Chipotle, McAfee, Hitachi, Dish Network, and many others.
 
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​Many of you know that I founded SPiN on a bit of a whim, but there’s a little more to it.

As the story goes, six years ago, when I was trying to learn how to use LinkedIn (it was fairly new then) I was watching a webinar on the subject and the speaker suggested we look for groups to join. At that time, there weren’t many groups on LinkedIn. He suggested that if we didn’t see a group that we wish existed, to simply create it. It was a split second decision, and within five minutes I had the acronym. By the end of the day, I had the logo, and voila. Had I known it would become what it is today, I wonder if I would have named it differently, but I doubt it – I like the name SPiN. It describes what we do so well – keeping dozens of plates spinning in the air at once, spinning around the globe, keeping our industry spinning as its veteran members, etc.

The part of the story you may not know is why I felt the void that I was seeking to fill with SPiN.

I believe that around the 10-year mark, many of us face a fork in the road with the industry’s more wide-ranging associations. We generally have stopped receiving as much educational value as we did when we were younger and the choice is this: continue to stay with that association but shift from ‘giving & receiving’ to strictly ‘giving’ in the form of volunteering; or go elsewhere to get your needs met. So many of us are serving as chapter presidents, committee chairs, and more – we give, give, and give, and the industry is no doubt better off as a result. Yet where do WE go to fill up our own cup, so to speak? That’s the deeper thought that was resonating with me six years ago – what’s out there for me at this stage of my career, where I can get what I need, not just give back?

I know I wasn’t alone in how I was feeling, because SPiN took off like a rocket! I’m grateful for what it’s become today, although I never would have predicted back in 2008 that I would close my company doors and become an association leader.

I want to thank every one of you for believing in SPiN and co-creating this amazing resource for the benefit of all senior-level planners.