Today we’d like to introduce you to Laura J. Lawson.
Laura J., please kick things off for us by telling us about yourself and your journey so far.
Briefly: I moved a lot, I traveled a lot, and I moved some more. I was so inspired by the beauty and character of this planet, which feels both large and small, that I had to be an artist, despite my best efforts not to be.
Can you give our readers some background on your art?
I examine the relationship between place and identity through landscape. The idea is that over the centuries, we have sculpted our landscapes and cities in order to suit us, but the results are what shapes us– our cultures, choices, and perceptions of the world.
My abstract installation work is a combination of an aerial point of view, and physical sensations on a human scale. The overall visual effect is that of an aerial landscape, but the colors in each square are matched to specific things I’ve seen in that region: bodies of water, sky, soil, grasses, trees, pavement, building materials, etc. My work with maps is a little more conceptual. I take a used paper map and remove all of the city blocks and destinations from it with a knife. When I hang or frame them, I leave some space behind the piece. Roads may be how we identify our city, but they are not where we make our memories. The viewer gets to fill these empty spaces with personal memories or imagined ones.
I’m currently working on ways to take my work to the next level, by involving the political ramifications of borders, public transit or lack thereof, and other types of city data. I would love to collaborate with a city planner one day!
What would you recommend to an artist new to the city, or to art, in terms of meeting and connecting with other artists and creatives?
Go to shows and events! I’m a huge introvert and networking is difficult for me, but I’ve reached out to people on Instagram, and have gone to community art events hosted by The Cedars Union and Cedars Art House. I didn’t talk to a soul when I went to the Dallas Art Fair, but I’ve had a lot of conversations about what I saw there with new artists I meet. Just keep showing up.
What’s the best way for someone to check out your work and provide support?
My website is www.laurajlawson.com; it’s where my full portfolio lives, along with information on where I’m currently showing. I do have an online shop, but you can always inquire about a piece you saw or a commission you’re thinking about by using my contact page.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.laurajlawson.com
- Instagram: @laurajlawson
- Twitter: @laura_j_lawson
- Other: www.laurajlawson.com/contact
Image Credit:
Reo Casey, Mary Cyrus, Katherine Stanley.
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