Artist paints portraits in the Boston Public Garden for good causes

BOSTON - A somewhat shy artist creates beautiful portraits for people in the Boston Public Garden with the greater good at heart, donating the portrait proceeds to those who need it most.

Speed painting couples

For quite awhile now, Talia Connelly has been lending her talents to what she calls "Painting in the Park." She makes the trip in from Medford and sets up near the pond in the Public Garden. From there, a long line of people forms to get their portraits done, mostly couples.

"It's so satisfying, the way she's able to combine colors," said one woman. "She knows what she's doing."

"I think it's incredible, it looks real," said one man who had his portrait done. "I could never do anything like that, remotely."

"I love how she captured our essence and I think, more than anything, the speed at which she painted this and did such detail is incredible," said another painting subject.

Donates hundreds

Connelly, who graduated from the Rhode Island School of Design in 2017, lets her customers set the price for the portraits and then she donates all the proceeds to local charities. This weekend, she's giving more than $800 to the Farm Sanctuary. She's also given to the Pine Street Inn and Rosie's Place, donating hundreds of dollars each time.

Connelly declined an interview with WBZ-TV, deciding to let her artwork speak for itself. Saturday was her last outdoor session for the season and she'll now shift indoors, where she'll still be painting to benefit nonprofits.