By Holly Tishfield
Esther Budnik has spent her entire life in Duval County, growing up along the banks of the St. Johns River and immersing herself in the city’s vibrant creative scene. She now uses her artistic talents to help others capture some of life’s precious moments.
Budnik attended Florida State College and while she initially pursued studies in healthcare and medical sciences, she began considering a career in fine arts instead. It was a passion that she’d nurtured since she was a young teenager, though she wasn’t sure if she was ready to trade a secure career for the uncertain one of an artist.
“I was back and forth between the two, and figuring out what I wanted to do,” Budnik said. “I’ve always really liked art, but I was scared to make it a career.”
She ultimately decided to switch her degree, fully committing to her career as an artist.
Budnik’s artistic career dates back to her middle school days when an art teacher took notice of her skill during a watercolor painting exercise and encouraged her to foster the talent. At just 14 years old, Budnik began selling her artwork thanks to assistance from her teacher.
“I owe a lot of my art career to him,” she said. “He pushed me and showed me how much I actually enjoy it.”
These days, Budnik divides her time between watercolor and acrylic paintings, focusing on commissioned and personalized pieces. Her most recent line of work includes live wedding paintings, where clients hire her to capture a portrait of the newlyweds in real-time during the ceremony. Her fascination with this style of painting began after discovering a TikTok page of another popular artist who created similar work and was intrigued by the challenge of trying something new.
“I practiced every single day,” Budnik said. “I would go to the park and paint from life, to teach myself.”
After months of practice, Budnik decided to try her new painting technique at a friend’s wedding, offering her services free of charge in exchange for the real-time experience she gained. The painting was a success and Budnik was thrilled with the new opportunities that lay ahead of her.
“It’s a meaningful piece of work, something people really enjoy,” she said. “I love the live aspect of it, interacting with people. I definitely feel a lot happier being able to do this.”
In the future, Budnik hopes to continue pursuing her commissions and live-painting career. She loves the idea of traveling the world, capturing the people and places she visits through her paintings and hopes to make this dream a reality. She runs a successful Instagram account, @estherbud_art, where clients can discover her work.
Another goal is displaying her artwork in a gallery.
“I’ve never shown my work at a gallery, just because most of my stuff is custom, but I would love to do that someday,” Budnik said.
