ALL ABOUT THE ARTIST
About Christina Pappion | New Orleans Live Wedding Painter | Pappion Artistry
My Story
Some moments are too meaningful to live only in photographs.
My name is Christina Pappion — known across the country as New Orleans' live wedding painter — and I am an artist born, raised, and rooted in the soul of this city. As of 2026, I have painted hundreds of weddings and live events from coast to coast, and I cannot wait to capture yours.
How It All Began
Fifteen years ago, Christina made a bold, faith-led decision that would change everything. She picked up the phone and cold-called the top event planner in the region — someone she had never met — and offered to donate her live painting services to their upcoming nonprofit fundraiser. No connections. No guarantee. Just a calling she couldn't ignore.
That single phone call raised over $4,000 for the nonprofit cause and sparked a partnership with the event planner, their brides, and an entire team that would fuel years of success. What started as an act of generosity became the foundation of a career — proof that when you lead with purpose, doors open that no strategy could have unlocked.
The Journey Since
Since that beginning, Christina has been blessed to paint at countless celebrations across the United States — from intimate Louisiana ceremonies to grand ballrooms in New York, Dallas, Virginia, and beyond. She has been featured in Style Me Pretty, Martha Stewart Weddings, and People magazine, painted live for the NFL's New Orleans Saints and the NBA's New Orleans Pelicans, created commissioned work for Amazon, and been recognized as the #1 Wedding Painter in New Orleans on Google.
The Art Itself
My passion for live wedding painting lies in capturing the subtle glances, the tears, the laughter, and the quiet emotional connection that make each couple completely unique. No two love stories are the same — and no two paintings ever are either.
While my style is bold and expressive, my true focus is always the feeling of the moment — creating an authentic, living memory of your day that will move you every time you see it. Every brushstroke is intentional. Every canvas is an act of witness.
"I am a pencil in the hand of God." — Jeremiah 29:11
WHY BRIDES CHOOSE PAPPION ARTISTRY
Recognition & Rankings
· Ranked Top 10 Live Wedding Painter in the World — Feedspot 2026
· #1 Live Wedding Painter in New Orleans
· The Knot — Best of Weddings Award Winner
· 15+ Years of Professional Wedding Painting Experience
National Press Features
· Martha Stewart Weddings
· Munaluchi Bride
· Mississippi Magazine — Wedding Register
· Southern Bride
· New Orleans Magazine
· St. Charles Avenue Magazine
· Inside New Orleans Magazine
· NOLA.com / Times-Picayune
· Edge of the Lake Magazine
Wedding Experience
· Hundreds of weddings painted across the United States
· Thousands of guests have watched original oil paintings come to life at Pappion Artistry events
· Destination weddings painted in Chicago IL, Charleston SC, Biloxi MS, Nashville TN, Maui HI, and beyond
· Painted at some of the most celebrated wedding venues in Louisiana and nationwide including French Quarter courtyards, plantation estates, luxury hotel ballrooms, casino resorts, and rooftop celebrations
· Trusted by couples from New Orleans to Maui to Chicago to capture their most important day
Celebrity & High-Profile Events
· Official artist for the New Orleans Saints and New Orleans Pelicans
· First My Cause My Cleats artist for the New Orleans Saints
· Live painting and custom art activations for Super Bowl LIX
· Commissioned by Brittany Brees for Drew Brees' family portrait
· Portraits commissioned for Cooper Manning and Arch Manning
· Custom sneakers for Grammy Award-winning musician Terence Blanchard
What Sets Christina Apart
· One artist, one wedding per date — your day gets her complete dedication
· Original oil paintings created live as your celebration unfolds — not from photos afterward
· 15+ years of experience means no venue, no lighting, no moment she hasn't captured
· Faith-forward, warm, and professional — brides consistently describe working with Christina as one of the best decisions they made for their wedding
CHRISTINA PAPPION — ACCOMPLISHMENTS & NOTABLE COMMISSIONS
Rankings & Recognition
· Ranked #8 — Top 45 Live Wedding Painter Instagram Influencers Worldwide — Feedspot 2026
· #1 Ranked Live Wedding Painter in New Orleans, Louisiana
· The Knot — Best of Weddings Award Winner
· National Art Honor Society Inductee and Speaker
· BFA Graduate — University of New Orleans, Dean's List
· Graduate of Mount Carmel Academy, New Orleans
NFL & New Orleans Saints
· First My Cause My Cleats artist selected by the New Orleans Saints — a historic first for the program
· Hand-painted custom cleats for Saints players worn on the field and auctioned on the NFL website raising millions for nonprofits and charitable organizations nationwide
· Featured on NewOrleansSaints.com in multiple official videos and press coverage
· Commissioned by Brittany Brees to create Drew Brees' Christmas family portrait and individual family portraits
· Created custom portraits and artwork for Sean Payton events and a surprise engagement
· Collaborated with Gayle Benson and the New Orleans Saints organization on custom artwork for Caesars Superdome
· Created a 25-foot mural in Tom Benson's private corner office suite at Caesars Superdome
NBA & New Orleans Pelicans
· Designed the last-ever New Orleans Pelicans paper season ticket — original signed by Zion Williamson
· Created original paintings and prints hanging permanently in the VIP Champions Lounge at Smoothie King Center
· Designed a custom Pelicans jersey gifted to every player on the roster
· Created custom basketball canvases as VIP corporate gifts for Pelicans business sponsors
· Painted permanent murals in the family room at Smoothie King Center — name permanently on the wall
Super Bowl LIX — New Orleans 2025
· Commissioned by Entergy — founding partner and chair of the Super Bowl LIX Host Committee — to create custom painted VIP hats and corporate gifts for business sponsors
· Selected by Amazon AI and Octagon — one of the world's largest sports marketing agencies — to create live custom-painted sneakers for 25+ Amazon executives at their host hotel during Super Bowl LIX weekend
· Amazon executives wore Christina's custom painted shoes on the floor of Caesars Superdome during Super Bowl LIX
Brand Collaborations
· First sneaker artist commissioned by Dunkaroos for the NCAA March Madness Final Four campaign — custom shoes gifted to every Final Four player alongside a curated '90s-inspired package and customized basketball shoebox
· All artwork for the historic Dixie Beer relaunch — menus, gift shop art, poster prints, and the Dixie Voodoo specialty beer variety pack design
· Tiger digital artwork featured in The Money Game — Amazon Prime docuseries chronicling LSU's groundbreaking NIL program
· Custom portraits and commissions for Cooper Manning and his son Arch Manning — University of Texas quarterback
· Custom sneakers for Grammy Award-winning jazz musician Terence Blanchard's red carpet walk — a tribute to Drew Brees and his lasting impact on New Orleans
Mardi Gras & Krewe Poster Art
· Only official poster artist for Mystic Krewe of Femme Fatale — six consecutive years
· Only artist ever invited to paint live at the Femme Fatale annual queen reveal
· Official poster artist for Krewe of Nefertiti
· Official poster artist for Krewe of Symphony
· First woman of color commissioned to create the official Crescent City Classic poster
Live Wedding Painting
· Hundreds of weddings painted across the United States over 15+ years
· Thousands of guests have watched original oil paintings come to life at Pappion Artistry events
· Destination weddings painted in Chicago IL, Charleston SC, Biloxi MS, Nashville TN, Maui HI, and beyond
· Painted at iconic venues including Preston Bradley Hall (Chicago), The Drake Hotel (Chicago — Le Pappion Package), Beau Rivage Resort (Biloxi), Grand Sofia on the Beach (Biloxi), Armour House (Lake Bluff IL), Pazzo's 311 (Chicago), and hundreds of Louisiana venues
National Press Features
· Martha Stewart Weddings — Featured wedding
· Munaluchi Bride — Exclusive interview feature
· Mississippi Magazine — Wedding Register feature
· Southern Bride — Instagram feature
· Feedspot — #8 Top 45 Live Wedding Painter Instagram Influencers Worldwide
· The Knot — Best of Weddings Award Winner
· New Orleans Magazine — "A Work of Art"
· St. Charles Avenue Magazine — "Local Artists Weigh In On Benefits of Live Event Paintings"
· Inside New Orleans Magazine — "The Heartwarming Artistry of Christina Pappion"
· NOLA.com / Times-Picayune — Wedding Inspirations feature
· NOLA.com — Saints My Cause My Cleats feature
· NOLA.com — Dixie Beer feature
· Edge of the Lake Magazine — "Painting It Forward"
· Visit the Northshore — Full profile feature
· NewOrleansSaints.com — Multiple official features
· Foodbeast — Dunkaroos March Madness feature
Community & Foundation Work
· Co-founded The Beautiful Foundation with her mother — a mentorship organization empowering young women in New Orleans
· Helped launch the first Teen Council at NORDC — New Orleans Recreation Development Commission
· Facilitated the "Trust Your Crazy Idea" entrepreneurship program at Junior Achievement New Orleans
· Mentored young women in New Orleans for years before transitioning to full-time professional artistry