Columbia, IL.
Preferred Mediums:
I am a mixed media artist. I use acrylic, oil, glass, charcoal, polyurethane and stain on canvas and wood.
How many years have you participated in the Art On The Bluffs, Inc. Art
Walk?:
This year will be my third.
Where did you go to school, earn a degree, or formally study art?
I received my Bachelor of Fine Arts with an emphasis in painting from Webster University. I received a scholarship to study abroad at Webster University’s campus in Vienna, Austria. I am now finishing my Master of Art in Teaching and Art Certification K-12 at Fontbonne University.
What is your art about & what inspires your work?
I am inspired by life and its’ surprises. Usually my ideas come from what is happening to me or in the world that surrounds me.
What is your creative process like?
My paintings begin with an idea, but evolve to a story. Sometimes I even have a detailed drawing under many layers. The process of layering is like solving a puzzle. Most of my paintings begin with the clarification of my thoughts and beliefs. I create a bold texture using acrylic paint, recycled glass and polyurethane. Building several layers on a deep canvas suggests depth and reaction. Layer by layer, reaction takes over and the overall composition becomes my focus. My paintings are an expression of feelings and/or reactions to life and its issues surrounding me. I begin with an idea that develops into a process much greater. The ideas stem from something as small as personal insecurities and as large as world problems. From there, my imagination and play on texture tends to take over. A lot of times I will become infatuated with an image or a form, for example; the female figure, a circle, lines, objects, etc.. It becomes instinctive after this process begins.
I build my canvases so they protrude from the wall and take on the quality of their own existence. I use the structure of the canvas, polyurethane, recycled glass and many layers of paint to build texture and dimension. The coating obscures the paintings' surface. Color is also important, helping to express the images and soften or harden the mood. Layer after layer, the process continues to become more instinctive. More times than not, the effects of the dry polyurethane amaze me. The final product is not complete until the overall composition shocks me.
How or when in your life did you know you were an artist?
I began following my father around as early as I can remember. He is also an artist. I would sit in his studio while he painted and he would take me along to art classes that he would teach. Some of my favorite memories were spending our Sundays at his gallery. He has always told me I was an artist. I guess I believed I was an artist when I started showing in galleries and had my own studio. My studio was in a building in downtown Saint Louis with other artist whom I admired. It gave me a sense of accomplishment to be amongst people I look up to.
Where can your work be viewed? lauranealart.com, Vida Verde Studio Salon, Reifschneider’s Grill & Grape and Edward Jones in Columbia, Illinois.
What shows have you displayed in? Lemp Art Gallery in St. Louis, Mad Art Gallery in STL, Studio 7 in STL, The Hunt Gallery in STL, SPPS Art Fair, Central West End Art Fair & Taste, Maeystown Octoberfest, Vida Verde Studio openings, Faust Park Fine Arts and Folk Festival and Art On The Bluffs.
What do you enjoy most about the art scene in St. Louis/Metro East? The passion and drive for artistic growth.
