In the world of visual art, not all masterpieces are born from countless hours of meticulous layering. Some bloom in a single, vibrant moment — when inspiration flows freely and the artist moves with pure confidence and joy. They celebrate the beauty of instinct, the magic of trusting the creative spark, and the power of letting go. In these moments, art arrives naturally, alive with spirit, emerging in a rush of energy—raw, vibrant, and alive. That’s the heart of speed painting: an exciting technique that engages audiences with the thrill of creation in the magic of the moment. And it’s what Amy Burkman does so passionately, professionally and purposefully as she gives a voice to those in need of help, healing and hope, whether they be furred, feathered, finned, two footed or four.
Today a seasoned live art entertainer, professional muralist and keynote speaker, Amy Burkman captivates audiences with her unique talent for “speed painting”— completing a head-turning work of art in a short, predetermined amount of time, often under ten minutes. Combining creativity, performance, and philanthropy, Burkman transforms blank canvases into movement, mission and message all at once, turning every painting into an act of giving.
But speed painting is about much more than speed. In Amy Burkman’s hands, it’s a heartbeat — fast, powerful, and full of life. Her art isn’t just seen. It’s felt. And in that feeling, change happens. She wants people to walk away from her work inspired, not just by the painting, but by what it stands for. As far as Amy is concerned, every brushstroke is a chance to make a difference.
When Amy steps onto a stage, the air changes. A blank canvas towers over her. A beat drops. In a flurry of paint, color, and kinetic energy, she brings animals, faces, and stories to life — often upside down. By the time the last note hits, the crowd is on its feet, roaring as she flips the canvas to reveal a stunning portrait.
“It’s funny,” Burkman says with a laugh when I ask her where she gets the energy for her whirlwind performances. “When I’m performing, I don’t even realize how much energy I’m using. But when I get back to the hotel afterward, my body’s like — yeah, time to rest.”
After seeing her work her magic and learning about her accomplishments in the world of philanthropy and art, I have to believe nothing keeps her resting for long. Since she embarked on her professional journey as an artist, she has raised millions for charity while captivating audiences around the globe. From educational murals in Mali and mindfully messaged billboards to speed paintings in support of animal rescue groups, cancer research and many others, Amy Burkman continues to show how art can uplift, educate and inspire.
Her journey as an artist began with crayons.
“My mom said that ever since my twin sister and I could hold a crayon, we loved making art,” she recalls. “By eight, I realized I might actually be good at it. I drew a cow, and it didn’t look half bad.”
Impressed by her evolving talent, her small town even raised money to give her the first local art scholarship. But at the time, she didn’t see a viable future in art. She gave the scholarship back a few years later, took a job at a bank, and tucked her creative dreams away.
“I was working at a bank for six years, and eventually transferred to a job in Southern California. Right before I moved, I painted a mural for my friend’s child’s room. I discovered that I love painting murals. It was really fun. My friends and colleagues always encouraged me to become an artist because I would do art for the office. That got me thinking about pursuing a career as an artist. One day after moving, I was on a run, and I remember thinking I want to do art. I remember seeing a man on the street who looked so sad and I wished I could just make him a drawing and cheer him up by giving it to him as an act of kindness. That gave me the idea that I wanted to do something with art, helping others in some way.
She started by apprenticing with a muralist she met, telling him that she just wanted to learn his art and would paint for free. He ended up hiring her and she learned how to paint picture-perfect murals. From there, she decided to join her friend who was in the Peace Corps in Mali, enthralled by the idea of helping people, doing her part through her art.
“We had this idea of creating educational, health-related murals around different parts of West. I spent six weeks in Africa painting murals in local villages and loved every minute of it. We stayed in mud huts, getting water out of wells. The people there were so warm and welcoming. They didn’t have much, but they had community. That changed me.”
When she returned home to California, her passion for art with heart grew. She discovered that the San Diego Zoo, world famous for its animal conservation efforts and cageless, natural habitat-inspired exhibits, had initiated a new program to raise awareness about wildlife. They hired a live painter, Stephen Fishwick, to educate visitors about the animals they saw there. He was looking for other talented artists to join him and being familiar with Amy’s work, invited her to audition for the program. She did and that audition turned out to be a life-changing opportunity for her.
“Stephen trained me and several other artists in the technique of live painting. We painted tigers, elephants and more, educating zoo audiences on endangered species through our work and commentary. I loved it,” she said, later venturing out on her own and developing her own uniquely detailed speed paintings.
At the time, she was still working at her day job and painting at the zoo during her free time. Then came a diagnosis that upended everything: an aggressive form of ovarian cancer, now completely in remission.
“It was rough, obviously,” she says quietly. “But it also led me to great things.”
During her cancer treatment, she resolved to pursue art full-time.
“I flipped a coin,” she remembers, as she decided to stay the course with her work or become the artist she longed to be. “Heads meant follow my art. It landed on heads. My friend said, ‘How do you feel?’ I said, ‘Excited.’ And that was it. I went for it.”
“After finishing my treatment, I was invited to share my life story for TEDx with the theme of turning my life around after encountering different obstacles in my life. Even though that was a rough time for me, one of my friends told me at the time that amazing and unimaginable things would come from this experience. I just kept holding on to that thought. It didn’t seem like it at the time, but then, sure enough, great things started to happen. Eventually, I quit my job and it led me to what I’m doing now. I’ve traveled around the world. I’ve met elephants, educated communities, to touched hearts. I’ve done things I really love. I survived the unthinkable. I feel very fortunate that I had that experience, basically, because it led me here.”
She quit her stable day job, took time to heal, then started saying yes to performing at small charity events. One event led to another, each new opportunity growing bigger and more compelling. It was becoming more and more clear to her that her life’s calling was to help others through art. Today you will find her performing non-stop as she travels around the world, raising funds and awareness for animal sanctuaries, cancer research, children’s hospitals, conservation groups, and community organizations.
Speed painting forced her to shed her shyness. It taught her to embrace imperfection and trust the process — on the canvas and in life.
“Most artists don’t want to create in front of people. It’s terrifying,” she says. “But I love it. It made me a more confident artist. And it connected me to the world.”
From mud huts in Mali and West Africa to sanctuaries in Thailand to sold-out charity galas in the US and abroad, Burkman has found her rhythm. Her brushstrokes are quick, but her impact lingers.
Among her most meaningful projects was painting a large mural at the Elephant Nature Park in Chiang Mai, Thailand, founded by activist Saengduean Chailert (better known as Lek). Known as Thailand’s “Elephant Whisperer”, Lek is an award-winning conservationist and founder of the Save Elephant Foundation and Elephant Nature Park. “I was painting Lek and an elephant at a fundraising event in the states,” Burkman recalls “Lek came up to me all excited after I finished painting and invited me to visit the sanctuary. Two months later, I was there. It was incredible — water buffalo, hundreds of rescued dogs and cats, and of course, elephants. It’s how humans and animals should live together.”
That trip, life changing for all concerned, sparked lasting collaboration. In 2024, after floods damaged parts of the sanctuary, Burkman helped fundraise for a new medical facility by offering to paint donors’ names into a mural. The sanctuary hit its goal.
Humbled by her humanity, I told her how much I admired her mission. Humbly, she said “I just get to make art,” she says, “but it helps the people who are doing the hard work.”
Once you have talked with her, watched her work and felt her passion in person, you realize that people who love what they are doing make even the most difficult endeavor, like her speed painting, look easy.
Infused with star power, Burkman’s style blends showmanship with skill. She practices each piece in advance, often timing her brushstrokes to music so she can reveal the image at just the right dramatic moment. Upside-down painting became part of her signature act after realizing that regulars at the zoo where she first started speed painting could guess what she was painting too soon. The reveal is as amazing as the donations she elicits from an always engaged crowd.
The subjects of Burkman’s speed paintings are as diverse as the audiences she entertains. From lifelike animal portraits to abstract creations and large-scale murals, her artistry transcends style and medium. Each piece is often tailored to the theme of the event or the mission of the charity it supports, creating a personal and impactful connection between art and cause.
She has big dreams for moving bigger audiences to give to worthy causes. In 2023, she was asked to create the artwork for an “Eat Differently” billboard campaign in San Diego to promote vegan lifestyles, garnering mass acclaim for her ability to start new conversations through her impactful images. She is working on producing collaborative, fundraising-themed TV programs to help secure donations for charitable causes. To date, several celebrities have publicly supported her efforts, including comedians Tig Notaro, Sarah Silverman and others who enthusiastically praise her work at shared live painting performances. Stay tuned for a whole new world of Amy’s art.
We first met Amy at the wonderful WinePAWlooza fundraising event we attend in Napa Valley every year in support of Jameson Humane, a no-kill rescue and sanctuary in the Napa Valley for homeless companion and farm animals. As you might imagine, we were blown away by her passion, compassion and commitment to community. A firm believer that unpredictability in life reminds us that we are alive, Amy demonstrates that we have the power to turn not only our own lives around, but the lives around us as well. We invite you to partner with Amy for your worthy cause and see her do Art for Good and turn things around right before your eyes.
Leave a Reply