_PNG.png){kind=small}
Laura Thorpe
USA
_p.png)
“There is a feeling and a story behind every picture.”
Laura Thorpe, lovingly known as Lolli to her family, is a self-taught artist seeking to add beauty and connections to this world. As a Washington State native, she sees an endless amount of beauty in nature and, that is what fills her inspirational cup. She is enamored with the quiet corners of the earth and the boundless beauty that unfolds in them.
Prevail | Mixed Media
$998
24 X 36
Do you know someone who makes something difficult look easy? That's what I thought of while painting this. I was reminded that although clouds can look extremely light and fluffy, they are actually quite dense and wet. But they float and move around as though they weigh nothing. They can stretch and swirl and change colors in a matter of seconds. They make being a cloud look easy.
She treats each painting as an opportunity to show her appreciation for the creation that gives us so much beauty and wonder. Each painting comes from somewhere. It comes from within the artist and stems from a moment in time and an emotion left behind. The rainbows that appear after a heavy rain, the clouds that romantically enfold the trees, and the soft reflections of looming mountains are all her sources of inspiration.
Defining Haze | Oil
$820
24 X 18
Our clouds are always on the go. They move around almost as though they're checking on the ones they love. And when the clouds meet the trees on the hill, they embrace as though they don't want to let go. They start to touch and dance in an almost seductive way. This is a scene I see almost every day in the winter. The clouds lower into the trees, and it is nearly impossible to look away because of their mutual longing. It is honestly one of the simplest yet romantic sights in nature.
Laura believes that the feelings that motivate each painting come through as she works, and this in turn creates a more genuine scene and an opportunity for connection. The story behind each painting is what motivates her to paint. Feelings of love and loss, past struggles, and ever-seeking optimism come through in her stories.
“I strive to create a story behind each piece.”
The act of painting is an opportunity for self-discovery, healing, and expression. During a time when the world had lost its color, Laura did not paint. The world felt too dark and heavy. It was when she picked up a paintbrush again that color replaced the grey, and gratitude replaced sadness. Now, moments spent in her studio bring her calm and joy that transcends onto the canvas in a way that brings past and present together.
Let Me Be | Oil
$499
20 X 16
I created this little cabin as a place to go. A place where I can grab my husband and escape to. No one can reach us. A little place in the middle of nowhere. Trees so tall they are touching the sky. Clouds so thick that no one can see through, and no sound can penetrate this little space other than the gently lapping waves on the shore. This cabin is a place where others let me be, and they let me be me.
This day, I was searching for space. A place that was roomy and uncramped. I did not want to feel closed in. My brush glided along with ample water and smooth brushstrokes; I felt my hands lead my head into a calmer space. A place where no sound can be heard except for the gentle strums of my husband's guitar and the grass beneath my feet.
Room To Roam | Mixed Media
$500
16 X 20
Laura hopes to create connections with people through her paintings. The greatest satisfaction that an artist can have is to see someone have an emotional reaction to a painting. Tears of joy because it reminds them of home. A look of longing for solitude when seeing a lone cabin or awestruck eyes by the mountaintop prevailing through the clouds.
“I often feel like each painting was created for someone and I feel immense gratitude to have been the one who got the opportunity to bring it to existence.”
“All of my paintings have elements of light and darkness, joy and sadness, calm and drama. They have helped me heal and move on from events I previously simply made it through.”
Watercolors were a challenge that she grabbed hold of tightly. They held her attention for a few years but the buttery, textured, and intensely colored oils begged her to give them a try. Now, after developing a love for both and the inability to abandon either one, her favorite way to paint is to combine these two passions onto the same canvas.
Bloom Through It | Mixed Media
$450
16 X 20
Cherry blossoms bloom throughout the unpredictable weather, and through the storms. This year, these flowers reminded me of a little girl I know. A little girl who throughout this past year showed how beautiful her flowers were. They were always there but amidst a storm in her life they popped with the most abundant beauty. This little girl has shown me how to smile despite disappointment, to accept reality and roll with it, how to be kind to everyone, and, how to bloom through it.
Each oil and water painting has moments of delicacy and drama. While most people think that oil and water don’t mix, Laura seeks to prove them wrong. Using the softness of watercolors and the texture and depth of oils results in a truly unique painting that you may want to just walk right into.
Light From Within | Mixed Media
$1,275
24 X 36
The house was dark except for the enchanting flicker of candlelight. Besides the crackling of the fire house was silent and still. With the power out, things got a calm and unrushed feeling. It was during an outage that I started this painting, fueled by candlelight and contentment. I kept a candle burning every moment of painting and it gave me a light from within to face the fear of change in front of me with courage.
The world is filled with moments that should be remembered. Everyone’s life is filled with emotions created by moments. Nature has a way of providing living beings with a sense of calm and healing, of feeling connected to something bigger than the lives every human has been living Sometimes it can make you feel powerful like a raging waterfall, other times it can make you feel as low as the moss on a concealed rock.
Have you ever felt, actually felt, the change in seasons? I feel it. I feel it in the air, in the grass, in the birds' songs, and mostly in myself. It is a feeling I long for by the time summer is over. The cool mornings, the mist rising and the calm after summer that starts to settle. It's almost like we can rest with our blinders off now. No big expectations or to do list. A day when the autumn arises and whispers that it's okay, it's here again to make everything make sense again.
Autumn Arises | Mixed Media
$450
20 X 16
“I have an immense love of using both oils and watercolors as my mediums.”
An Alluring Breath | Oil
$475
20 X 16
Another storm was blowing in this mountains face, taunting it with its icy power. Yet at that very moment the sun set its warm hand on its shoulder, reminding the mountain of all the storms it had already endured. The endless amount of torment it gone through only to give it more strength and character year after year. It was a moment of light and darkness, of strength and gentleness. It was a moment so incredible captivating it pulled me in with its alluring breath.
The art of painting is so much more than creating a pretty scene. It is an extension of the heart, and each of her brushstrokes is emotion in action. Painting has become her voice when she is at a loss for words. Laura’s moody atmospheric landscapes combine nature with human nature in a simple impactful way.
The word "Hush" is one of the most beautiful ways to usher in quietness, don't you think? The hush that is ushered in during a fall storm is something I long to hear. The hush that's heard in the rustling of trees and a crackling warm fire at the end of the day. This scene embodies all my feelings I start to have this time of year. Warmth along with darkness, calm waters amongst a storm, and a warmth glowing from the love found inside.
Hush | Oil
$475
20 X 16
The canvas is her way of expressing her gratitude for being able to see all the beautiful sights she has experienced. She carries immense gratitude for getting the opportunity to appreciate them through her art. Laura paints places where a person can take a moment to breathe. A place to rest, to wander, and to wonder. Places that their eyes see and the heart feel, and the soul wants to stay.
Light of Hope |Oil
$199
8 X 10
Have you ever noticed how the sky inside a rainbow is often lighter than the sky outside of it? This is because of the raindrops being round and the way they reflect light. I found this so beautiful because it helps me explain what a rainbow means to me. Rainbows have long been associated with hope. They say that a person who has hope copes with problems better and has a happier life. So while the rainbow itself may be the hope we see, it's affects reach far beyond the end of the rainbow.
“Our problems can seem like a mountain in front of us, and yet a single flower can give us hope to put one foot in front of the other.”
Not a solo artist yet? Subscribe to our solo exhibitions at TERAVARNA and share your art with the world!