So, for the last month or so I have been standing in my studio staring at an empty table with nothing to say and nothing to make. I was scared and am still scared that I don’t have anything meaningful left to contribute. What I find most interesting about my struggle with my own art making is that the artwork that made me want to be an artist is the same artwork I am afraid to create. I consider myself a conceptual artist and want my viewers to walk away from my work with a certain thought, idea, emotion, or message. The main goal is to shake people out of their own reality for just a second. Slap them across the face visually to see what happens. But, the work that influences me and gives me butterflies is not labeled conceptual art.

I would argue that all art is conceptual because all artists think about what they are going to make before they make. Even if they are not thinking at the time they are creating. But, that is a whole other topic.

What I am trying to communicate is that I love work that looks awesome, that’s beautiful. A painting of a woman walking across a plaza. A photograph of a store window. Art that captures everyday moments in time so that they can be truly appreciated. Although this artwork is fulfilling for me, the viewer, it does not seem to be fulfilling for me, the artist. Seems pretty silly to me. As usual, my concept about art is being challenged by me.

As far as I still have to go as an artist I have made one step forward today. I actually made a print. It was inspired by a photograph I took in San Francisco this week.

It’s a start!

This is work from around 9 years ago.  Certainly not the same as what I am up to today.  When my friend first saw the piece he said something along the lines of, “It is nice to have work that gives me an idea of your history and where you have come from.”  It was really sweet.

The funny thing about getting this image in my inbox today is that it makes me want to make work like that again!  Perhaps I will delve into the abstract world for a while.  I do wonder what the abstract work my current self would create.

We shall see.

These last few weeks have been filled with finally starting and completing some print series work that I have had on the back burner for a while.

One in particular project is called “The Red Balloon.”  I just finished printing the first of I don’t know how many different prints for this series.  As you may have guessed, the print involved a red balloon.  It also involves a young girl and will eventually involve a young boy (a few prints down the road).  Anyway, I wanted to show the first print of this series.

As always, my prints are available for purchase at my etsy store.

A couple of months back I spent about two weeks in the Great White North.  Most of my time was spent indoors staring out large windows.  I was lucky the scenery was easy on the eyes.  I did snowshoe a few times and get to venture down a trail that seemed to only have about 2 other visitors.  When I arrived back home I had several vivid visual memories.

I’m excited to share my 5 print Winter in Alaska series.  Most of my prints from the last 3 years or so have started with a photograph.  This is the first time in a long time that a print has been influenced by a memory.  It’s a huge departure from my installation and project based work and I am loving it!  I told someone the other day that I’m trying to fully embrace all 8 Lauren’s that live inside me.

I’d like to introduce you to one of my Lauren’s.  The printmaker.

There are 9 originals of each of the 5 prints (except the sun at the top of the page – there are only 8).  I will be selling both the originals and an unlimited edition of giclee prints at my shop.  CLICK HERE to visit The Print Studio.