We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Olga Mendenhall a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Olga, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. Can you talk to us about a project that’s meant a lot to you?

For the past few years, I’ve been creating live wedding paintings, and these projects hold a special place in my heart. It’s an honor to be a part of one of the most significant days for a couple and their families, and I cherish the opportunity to celebrate their love. At each wedding, I paint a moment from the event in real-time, starting from a blank canvas while the guests watch the scene unfold. There’s a palpable magic in the air—the energy and vibes are incredible. I love channeling all these emotions and impressions into my painting, capturing the unique atmosphere of the day.

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.

I’m originally from St. Petersburg, Russia, and grew up in a family of artists. This artistic environment deeply influenced me from a young age. I attended art school and later studied illustration, fine art, and design in college in Russia. About 13 years ago, I moved to the USA.
Since then, I’ve been working on various commissioned paintings, from pet portraits to custom landscapes. A few years ago, I had the opportunity to live-paint at my first wedding and was captivated by the experience. This led me to focus more on this niche, and now I specialize in live wedding paintings and live guest portraits. I’m also exploring opportunities to do live paintings at different events beyond weddings.
I deeply enjoy collaborating with wedding couples and their families. One of my favorite aspects of my work is learning about the couple and their wedding. I visit the venue a few hours before the event to absorb the atmosphere, take beautiful photos, and get into the zone. The element of surprise and improvisation in live wedding painting is always exciting. I appreciate the artistic freedom my clients give me, and I value their trust in my professional skills. At the same time, I love working as a team to bring their vision to life.
My paintings are heavily influenced by impressionism, characterized by bold colors and dynamic color schemes. I find beauty in everyday scenes, seeing colors in even the most mundane settings. As the saying goes, “Beauty is in the eye of the beholder,” but I like to say, “Color is in the eye of the beholder.”
I’m also proud of my work ethic and attention to detail. With over 15 years of experience in both creative and corporate fields, I’ve developed strong organizational skills and a commitment to delivering high-quality work.

Let’s talk about resilience next – do you have a story you can share with us?

As an immigrant, starting over in a new place with a different language and culture can be incredibly challenging. Despite having studied English my entire life, I found it difficult to adapt to the cultural nuances and various accents when I first arrived in the U.S. My initial experience was in a small town in Colorado, where people were not very accustomed to foreign accents. At my first job, which was at a small firm, I often had to answer the phone and assist people who were calling to place ads in a paper or online.
I remember facing a lot of frustration from callers because I sometimes needed them to repeat or spell out words, wanting to ensure I got the details right. Some people would become impatient and ask me where I was from, which made me even more self-conscious about my language skills.
Looking back, those experiences were tough, but they taught me resilience. I learned not to let negative comments or attitudes discourage me. Instead, I focused on improving my skills and adapting to my new environment. I adopted the mindset of “Keep calm, and carry on,” which has become my mantra. Those early challenges helped build the strength I needed to persevere and continue moving forward, regardless of obstacles.

We often hear about learning lessons – but just as important is unlearning lessons. Have you ever had to unlearn a lesson?

Coming from a traditional art education background, particularly in Russian art schools, I was taught strong fundamentals and classical principles of art. While I am incredibly grateful for that foundation—it has been invaluable to my development as an artist—I realized later on that I also needed to unlearn some of those teachings.
After finishing college, I found myself constrained by the rules and principles I had learned. I felt almost paralyzed by the idea of making mistakes or creating something that wasn’t “perfect” by traditional standards. It was as if the fear of stepping outside those boundaries was holding me back from truly expressing myself.
It took several years for me to rediscover the joy and freedom in creating art for the sheer pleasure of it. I had to unlearn the mindset that every piece had to adhere strictly to the rules and embrace the imperfections and spontaneity that come from experimenting and sometimes making intentional “mistakes.” This process is ongoing, but I believe that’s where art finds a breath of fresh air—in those moments of rawness and imperfection.
Unlearning these rigid notions has allowed me to explore new directions in my work and infuse it with more authenticity and personal expression.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.olganovastudio.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/olganovastudio/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/OlgaNovaStudio/

Image Credits

Images by Olga Mendenhall and Kyle Harder