Today we’d like to introduce you to Whitney Lauren.
Hi Whitney, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
I never thought I would be a painter. I can’t draw well and I wasn’t classically trained. But, the first time I sat in front of Mark Rothko’s work, something inside me awakened. I sat for hours soaking up the vibrational fields of color. I’ve always appreciated art, but in more of a technical or mechanical way. These paintings weren’t about the skill, but rather, how they made me feel. About a year later, I created my first painting, in an effort to explore and deepen my connection with the way I felt in front of the color fields, and I’ve been painting ever since.
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?
Definitely not always a smooth road! I am not a full time artist (yet) and it can be hard to find to get in the studio and paint. Weekends allow me to step into that sacred space with no-where to be and no meetings on the books. I’m still finding my way as an artist, always evolving, and balancing what being an artist looks like for me, personally. I found painting in my late twenties (or maybe it found me) and can’t imaging life without it now. Being a creative requires space, reflection, boredom, lack of rush, and this can sometimes require you to swim against the unsustainable fast pace and constant stimulus we get in the modern world.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
My work is often an abstract expression of moments of awe. Moments that feel like they are in slow motion because you are so moved by what you are experiencing. For me, this is largely inspired by nature, but it could also be a feeling, a color, light, a sound, a song, a quote, a social movement, a place. The act of painting itself also creates those kinds of moments for me, so it is just as much about the process as it is the inspiration. When I am painting, everything gets very still, yet is wildly energetic and playful at the same time. I’m in conversation with the Muse and completely in flow and present.
Though my work is always evolving, there are some visual themes that have surfaced: color fields, abstract landscapes, and expressive shapes. Lately, I keep coming back to the idea of “soulscapes” which is about creating a visual representation of landscapes and seascapes, but in an abstract way that captures both the physical beauty of nature and the emotional response they evoke.
The medium I use depends on what feels appropriate for the vision and inspiration, though I mostly work with oil paints and cold wax. Sometimes unexpected organic materials like coffee grounds or soil are present; rich texture and depth is developed through applying many layers over time. Paint brushes are rarely used in my work, as I am usually painting with my hands or other objects. Painting with my hands was initially an instinct, and I find that it allows me to feel more directly connected to each piece.
Are there any apps, books, podcasts, blogs or other resources you think our readers should check out?
Oh man, so many great sources of inspiration out there. I find my self picking up and re-reading Rick Rubin’s book “The Creative Act: A Way of Being” a lot these days. I also love Eckhart Tolle and how he talks about and presence and being in the Now. And, a podcast I’ve recently stumbled upon from a couple of artists called “Just Make Art” is really awesome… it’s been great to hear from other artists and be validated in some of the things I feel and experience as an artist, and to get advice and tips around challenges we all have.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.whitneylaurenart.com/
- Instagram: WhitneyLLC
- Other: https://www.instagram.com/whitneyllc
