Meet Sam
Hi there, and welcome! I'm Samantha Nelson Revell, the creative spirit behind Sam Nelson Art. I’m thrilled you’re here! Currently based in Jacksonville, FL, I specialize in live wedding painting, capturing the beautiful moments of a couple’s big day in real time on canvas. I also create unique custom artwork, tailored to bring each client's vision to life. Outside of painting, I love locally brewed coffee and craft beer, and am a fan of both cats AND dogs. Along with my career as an artist, I also work part-time as an art therapist.
Thank you again for stopping by. I hope your day is filled with a little bit of beauty, a lot of joy, and all the cutest cats and coolest pups around!
The Beginning of Sam Nelson Art
I began painting commissions in 2016 to raise money for a mission trip to Guatemala. During the trip, my campus ministry visited an orphanage where we helped paint a new mural on their front gate, among other projects. To fundraise, I offered pet portraits for donations to my friends on Instagram—not entirely sure what would come of it—and it took off. After the mission trip, while still an undergraduate, I continued taking commissions on the side.
I graduated in the spring of 2017 with an art degree, a year earlier than expected, and suddenly had to decide what to do with my life. I started working at an after-school program, took a part-time job at Chick-fil-A, and kept painting pet portraits in my spare time. At any given moment, I typically had 5–10 oil paintings in various stages of completion stacked in the corner of the apartment I shared with three other post-grads. Eventually, I began making enough from art to quit my job at Chick-fil-A and use painting as my primary source of income.
Since then, I’ve lost count, but I estimate I’ve painted over 300 pets. From pet portraits, I expanded to house portraits, then introduced something I called “painting places.” This concept allowed me to create smaller, more affordable paintings for my primary market at the time—college students. Searching for a faster medium, I began experimenting with watercolor and ink. I offered to paint any place: landscapes, park benches, or locations tied to special memories. Over time, my “painting places” evolved into what I now call watercolor and ink sketches. You may have seen me creating these live at the Riverside Arts Market under a sign that reads, “Send me any photo, and I’ll paint it live right now.” The “painting places” style became the foundation of this live painting idea.
I painted my first wedding painting in the spring of 2019 while halfway through grad school for art therapy, recently engaged, and still living in Tallahassee. A friend asked me to paint at her wedding. Unfamiliar with the concept of live wedding painting, I agreed because it sounded fun. I started posting about it on Instagram, and a few brave souls trusted me with their wedding paintings. The demand has grown steadily since then.
I initially worked with acrylics, completing about 30 live wedding paintings before attempting my first watercolor live wedding painting a few years ago. Watercolor felt riskier because mistakes couldn’t be covered up—it’s a medium where what you put on the paper stays. However, I had grown more confident after countless watercolor sketches at the Riverside Arts Market and decided to give it a try. I collaborated with a framing store to create custom frames that allowed me to present the painting, fully framed, at the event. This added a special touch that thrilled clients and guests alike.
Since then, I’ve expanded to offering guest portraits at events. I set up my easel, and guests sit for quick 5–10 minute portraits. I love how excited people get about this! Occasionally, I even bring in another artist to help when multiple portraits are needed in a short amount of time. Since that first wedding painting in 2019, I’ve painted at 67 events and counting.
Traveling to new places, setting up materials, and painting all day is hard work—but I thrive on the challenge. I love meeting new people, exploring new locations, and, most of all, painting. When people ask if I ever feel nervous, my honest answer is no. Painting is the one activity that quiets my mind and allows me to be completely present. It’s always been my dream to make a living through art.
My goal is to create paintings that bring people joy. I firmly believe in finding beauty in everyday moments. For me, painting is a way to honor life’s beauty and appreciate it every time you look at a piece.
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