Sarah Laurence
Painter/Writer
Your Name
Sarah Laurence
Website
http://sarahlaurence.com
How or when did you first “discover” Art?
I grew up in NYC surrounded by art at home and in museums/galleries. One of my earliest art memories was sketching dune grass in Nantucket with my mother, the talented artist Cynthia Lamport. My father, an amateur photographer, gave me an SLR camera for my sixteenth birthday and helped me set up a darkroom with his father’s enamel trays.
Name one of your greatest creative influences and why?
The sea is my inspiration. My medium is watercolor because water speaks to me. It flows from my brush with a will of its own.
What made you decide to become an Artist?
I was born an artist. I never chose art; it chose me.
What are you currently working on?
I’m painting landscapes on the Maine coast. Two of my paintings will be in a group show opening on 10/10/08 at The Curtis Memorial Library in Brunswick, Maine to help raise funds for Arts Are Elementary. It’s a non-profit organization which brings local artists to teach in our public schools. My blog features my photography. There are several posts about Nantucket. I’m also writing a novel, NOT CRICKET, set in England about an artist.
What is the most rewarding thing about being an Artist?
For me it’s the process more than the results. Painting and photography make me stop and look carefully. The image is my way of capturing a special moment and sharing it with others.
What is the hardest thing about being an Artist?
Weather can provide challenges while working en plein air.
Briefly describe your studio.
My studio is a rocky cliff, a secluded beach or a peaceful lakeshore. I carry my supplies in a backpack.
What is in your CD player when you work?
I never play music while I work. I need to live entirely in the moment, listening to nature, the roar of the surf.
What is the last exhibition you saw?
Louise Bourgeois at the Guggenheim Museum in NYC. I loved her sculptures and her provocative questions about a woman’s role in society. It works great in the space.
How does Nantucket inspire your work?
Nantucket calls for its own palette of grays, sages and duns with occasional splashes of bright color. The feel of the ocean never leaves you. I see the great natural beauty and want to capture it.
How do you relax when not working?
I enjoy my family and friends after a day of working in solitude. I unwind by swimming or walking my dog by the water.
All work copyright Sarah Laurence
