Today we’d like to introduce you to Laura Lindquist.
Hi Laura, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
I’ve been a painter for as long as I can remember. The stains on my childhood bedroom carpet can attest to that. Art class was always my favorite. It meant a creative escape where I felt happy, successful and fulfilled. When it was time to go to college, I knew I wanted to study art. Unfortunately, peer pressure got the best of me, so I instead graduated with a major in Communication and a minor in Art. I still painted in my dorm, though. Graduation came, and the world was my oyster, except I had no clue what my next career step would be. So I sought an opportunity to teach English in Italy, because why not? After a dreamy Italian summer giving me a lust for painting landscapes, I returned to the US and tried a job with my communication degree for a year. It wasn’t right, at least for me. But I learned an important lesson; I learned I needed art to be an aspect of my job. I searched for an opportunity that used my degree and incorporated art, so I found a wonderful art teaching job in St. Paul where I worked for seven years. During those years, I continued to paint, earned my master’s degree, got married, and gave birth to the most perfect little boy. While I enjoyed teaching and sharing my passion with students, I felt I needed more time to do my own art and be with my son. In 2022 I decided to make the leap and not return for the next school year of teaching but rather to become a full-time artist. Now I’m painting nearly every day, traveling up north for painting inspiration, working on commissions, and selling art at Stillwater Art Guild Gallery. It’s a dream come true.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not, what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
It’s been a great adventure. I just took a while to figure out how to get here. I think life constantly throws a bunch of questions at us and we have to give them answers. Really, no answer is wrong. People still ask me if I’m looking for other jobs which makes it feel like art is not a legitimate profession. I’ve learned to move past those comments and be confident in my decisions. People didn’t and still haven’t understood that I’m committing to art as my full-time gig. But it is my full-time gig. And it’s right. Life’s too short to not do what you know is right.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
I’m an impressionist oil painter of the St. Croix River Valley and northern Minnesota. I create large-scale landscape paintings in impasto, which just means using thick paint to create texture. To create these visible strokes, I paint with both a brush and palette knife. The subject I choose to paint helps me decide what colors and aspects of the image to highlight or exaggerate. Sometimes my art is more abstract, and other times it’s simply a textured landscape. Instead of carefully planning out my paintings, I paint to my stream of consciousness, because for me, painting is an ethereal experience. It comes from within and dances onto canvas.
I’m most proud of taking this leap and committing to my art. What sets me apart from others is that I also keep track of home trends. I love interior decorating, so I choose colors and styles that are timeless but would work well with home decorating trends.
What makes you happy?
Spending time with my family and going on adventures, whether it’s an adventure to Target or across the world, makes me so happy. And, of course, creating art brings me so much joy. Things are simpler and more peaceful.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.laurarosefineart.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/laurarosepaints/
Image Credits
Josh Lindquist
