Meet Ben & Jen

Ben

Ben Keys is a classically trained plein air artist whose work is rooted in academic study at the Art Institute of Chicago and the International School of Painting in Umbria, Italy. Inspired by the light and brushwork of French Impressionism — but in a signature voice entirely his own — Ben brings a painter's eye to every commission: one trained to capture fleeting light, genuine emotion, and the spirit of a place.

Over more than a decade as one of America's original live wedding painters, Ben has created over 500 heirloom works for clients across the country and abroad. His paintings hang in private and corporate collections internationally — including The Greenbrier Resort — and his work has been featured in The New York Times, Garden & Gun, House Beautiful, and Martha Stewart Weddings. He has painted at some of the most celebrated venues in the country — from The Breakers to The Cloister at Sea Island, venues he has returned to again and again — for clients that include world-renowned athletes, celebrities, and discerning families.

A Keys Portrait carries that same depth of training and presence — painted for the wall it will one day anchor, and the generations who will one day gather beneath it.

Jen

Behind every Keys Legacy Portrait is a partnership. Jen Keys — co-founder, studio manager, and the warm voice most clients know first — came to Ben Keys Art after 15 years in the luxury wedding industry, including work with couture bridal designer Modern Trousseau. She has coordinated over 500 commissions worldwide, guiding each family through every creative decision with the kind of care and enthusiasm that makes clients want to meet her in person. Jen is also an accomplished photographer (visit JenKeys.com), a mother to three daughters, and the organizational backbone of everything Ben creates. When you reach out, you'll likely hear from Jen first — and that, clients tell us, is one of the best parts.