Today we’d like to introduce you to Lauren Thomas
Hi Lauren, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
Art has always been woven into the fabric of my life. From an early age, creativity wasn’t just a pastime—it was second nature. If I wasn’t painting or drawing, I was designing my doll’s house, rearranging furniture in my room, or lost in imaginative home games. By high school, my identity as “the artist” was firmly established. Whether it was leading ASB marketing, designing posters for school events, planning fun photoshoots, or helping a friend bring their creative vision to life, I was always the one people turned to for anything artistic.
My creative path led me to Westmont College in Santa Barbara, California, where I majored in Art with an emphasis in Business. It was here that my artistic instincts sharpened into technical skills. I discovered the magic of oil painting and immersed myself in the works of the Impressionists, captivated by their ability to paint fleeting moments of light and color. Living in Santa Barbara, I became obsessed with how light shifts throughout the day, how it dances on water and melts into the horizon. For my senior graduate project, I poured this fascination into 18 oil paintings, each one capturing how color and light evolved at different times of day across various locations in Southern California.
After graduation, I set my brushes down and shifted my focus toward interior design. I landed an internship in Newport Beach, where I began translating my understanding of color, texture, and atmosphere from the canvas to physical spaces. Designing interiors felt like painting with furniture, fabrics, and light—creating spaces that didn’t just look beautiful but felt alive. Each room became its own work of art, layered with the same thoughtfulness and intention that I once brought to my canvases. But despite the creative fulfillment, life threw some unexpected challenges my way. After facing personal and professional setbacks, I decided I needed a change and moved to Dallas, Texas, to be closer to friends and find a fresh start.
Dallas was a new shift—nature no longer framed my creative world. But I quickly found new inspiration within the city. I began exploring my creative passions more intentionally, not just through design and painting but also through graphic design. I found a creative home at a church called Upperroom, where I’ve had the chance to paint and contribute to the atmosphere through art.
Over the past year, my career has unfolded in unexpected but beautiful ways. I’ve embraced freelancing as an interior designer, graphic designer, and painter. My clients range across these fields, keeping my work dynamic and fresh. Freelancing has allowed me to marry all my creative passions into one cohesive career—combining color, light, and design in ways that feel authentic to me. The journey has been anything but linear, but I’ve realized that the heart of my work isn’t tied to one medium—it’s about creating beauty and meaning, whether that’s on a canvas, within a room, or through a design.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
If there’s one thing I’ve learned, is that life is not a straight path—unexpected challenges will always come. Art has always felt natural to me; most mediums that I have explored, I have been able to master. But within the past year, I’ve been hit with setbacks that have led me to doubt, compare, and question my abilities. “Am I even good at this?” has echoed in my mind more times than I’d like to admit.
But I have learned (and still am learning haha!) to push back against those thoughts—to remind myself that I am capable. The obstacles don’t define me. I learn from my mistakes and keep creating!
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
I am a freelance artist, but more than that, I am a creator who thrives on transformation. My work spans across multiple disciplines—interior design 3D rendering, graphic design, and painting—each one allowing me to bring visions to life in a unique way. I specialize in 3D renderings, currently partnering with Fine Line DFW, a general contracting and home renovation company, where I design and create visualizations for their clients. This work excites me because it allows me to bridge the gap between imagination and reality—helping clients see their spaces’ true potential before construction.
Beyond interiors, painting is a deep passion of mine, one that I get to share uniquely at my church, Upperroom. On the weekends, I paint live during their services. There is something raw and powerful about creating at the moment, surrounded by music and community. It reminds me why I fell in love with art in the first place—because of its ability to move people, evoke emotion, and bring beauty into unexpected places.
One of my proudest accomplishments is my 18-piece landscape oil painting series, a body of work that took over a year to complete. Each painting explored the way light and color shifted throughout the day across different locations in Southern California. This was my first experience creating an extensive series, pushing myself to stay disciplined and deeply observe the world around me. It was a defining moment when the collection was displayed in a gallery in Santa Barbara.
What sets me apart from other artists is my ability to see possibility and beauty in everything—whether transforming a home, designing a brand, or filling a blank canvas. I have an instinct for uncovering potential, refining details, and bringing ideas to life in a way that feels both intentional and inspired. I don’t just create art—I transform, refine, and elevate.
Do you have any advice for those just starting out?
Something that I would say to artists just starting out is to keep creating. Don’t stop. One idea will inspire the next. My art professor once told me this in 2018 and it has stuck with me ever since. There were times when I’d hit an artist’s block, feeling completely uninspired, waiting for the perfect idea to come. But instead of staying stagnant, he encouraged me to just start—sketch, paint, create anything. It didn’t matter if it was good or bad; the act of creating itself was what pushed me through the tension of feeling stuck.
These were moments in the beginning of my artistic career when I needed someone who knew me, to encourage me, and to push me to my potential. So I guess I would say my advice is to keep creating and find a mentor who is farther along than you in your craft who can encourage and push you beyond what you thought you could do.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://laurthomas.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/laur.studio/
- Other: https://www.instagram.com/laurthomas.art/
Image Credits
Credit to Brad Elliot and Yanglin Cai
