ARTIST BIO:

After obtaining a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Photography from Oregon State University and a Master of Fine Arts from John F. Kennedy University, Lauren Sharpton took any opportunity available to create community through interactive art. In 2008, she co-founded the nonprofit, Art is Moving with the mission to create, initiate, and share community art projects that educate, encourage, and empower people to make art part of their daily life. That same philosophy carries over to Lauren’s personal art projects.

Lauren creates unconventional art making opportunities for the public’s participation so it may feel the reward pursuing intentional, daily artistic exploration can provide while at the same time, get to know its community just a little bit better. The artworks are designed to instigate a thought process around the notion that everything matters. Every step you take, every action you make, leads to the next and it all holds meaning. The ripples of our lives intersect with every other person’s life. We all have so much power and so little control at the very same time. Every single day, we depend on people we have not and will never meet. All of this is terrifyingly beautiful. Our days are filled with stress, conflict and pain, but Lauren hopes that her corner of the art world can bring a bit of joy and peace to participants and contribute to a community that builds each other up. Lauren lives in Corvallis, Oregon with her husband, three children, two dogs, six chickens, and five fish.