Painter
Laura is not just an artist, most people describe her as a jack of all trades. She has been an artist all her life, but never really saw herself as one.
“I never gave it focus. I did it as part of my design work for other projects and offered art pieces as gifts. I had gone to school for it and even sold some pieces; yet still didn’t see myself as an artist. I was like many people who live in a world that tells you being and artist is a hobby; it’s not serious; it’s not important; it’s not a career; you can do better than that as a career. So I never gave it honor, not until I lost everything.” Laura is referring to a life changing trauma she still has difficulty talking publicly about.
“Even before losing everything, I have always been a survivor; but when I became an actual “survivor,” my world had to change, because I changed. Traditional jobs weren’t an option for me at the time, but I needed purpose for my drive of living life. I had survived for a reason; to live. I finally got to a positive place where having the normal world reject me was encouragement to play by my own rules and see what many things I could do. The world of art has welcomed me back to my roots and given me way more than I could ever have asked for.”
Laura was born in Connecticut and has lived in several states throughout the U.S. She was always the new kid that everyone wanted to meet. Her first childhood dream career job was to be the first woman President; later her dream career was to become a Supreme Court Justice all the while taking art courses and excelling in them. She started out Pre-Law at Western Michigan University, but art starting to call to her and she attended Kendall College of Art and Design. After a few years and no more money, she entered the RV career world until the 2008 recession. She returned to college and decided to take a career that would use both her skills in the art world and her experience in the business world and graduate as an Art Director.
She continues to explore and expand her talents and is a proud member of City Center Arts where she is a dedicated Art Director.
Artist Statement: Be Bold!
Be bold is the statement of and focus of my pieces. Being bold to choose what to say or not say, Being bold in expressing through loud colors and shapes, being bold to a world that wants you to “Be Calm”, complacent and settled only to gain nothing more than what people give when they want to care about you. I hope my pieces inspire people to take space for themselves, to take the risk to ask for fulfillment in your life, to advocate for balance in your life, to have bright colors and solid boundaries in your life. Be Bold with life!
