Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Lauren Reed. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Lauren, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today One of the toughest things about progressing in your creative career is that there are almost always unexpected problems that come up – problems that you often can’t read about in advance, can’t prepare for, etc. Have you had such and experience and if so, can you tell us the story of one of those unexpected problems you’ve encountered?

I think a lot of times the hardest part of being an artist is the aspect of staying motivated and not burning out. Artist block can be a very frustrating experience that most artists go through it at one point or another. I recently had gone through this myself. I had got into a solid routine of going into my studio and creating something all day, everyday. I completed many pieces in that time and felt very confident in my craft and what I was doing with my art. Then one day I just physically and mentally couldn’t get myself to create anything, it was like I ran out of all creative energy I had left. It felt demoralizing to go through that experience. Especially due to the fact of how often I was producing work and then releasing it. All while my fan base was growing, and I wanted to stay consistent in the public eye. Eventually I was able to work through it, although it took some time. I think that it’s very easy to immerse yourself in your work, and sometimes get lost in it and the feelings that it provides when you produce something you’re proud of. I think the biggest lesson I learned was that, yes it is okay to immerse myself in my work but to do it in a healthy way to prevent outcomes that could turn into situations like that. Consistency with boundaries I think is the way to success.

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

I’m an artist born and raised in a town right outside of Cleveland, Ohio. I’ve been a creative ever since I was a kid, very right brained and always doing some kind of arts and crafts. I ended up going to college for graphic design and fine art, and I think that those were some of the most influential years so far of my artistic journey. Gaining the skills from learning graphic design, sculpture, printmaking, etc.. has created the building blocks of how I approach my art today. Funny enough I didn’t take a single painting class in school, and now painting is now my preferred medium. During my time in college, I worked in an art gallery on campus and that taught me how to present my self and my art to the world in a professional way. I then graduated the class of 2020 also known as the year of Covid-19, when everyone’s life changed. I moved to Phoenix, Arizona the following year and my life changed again, but for the better. I started taking my art more seriously and professionally. And it has opened the doors for opportunity for me and I’ve been growing as an artist ever since.

I’ve dealt with mental illness for most of my life and had a severe accident happened to me when I was a teenager. Art has always been a coping mechanism and a way for me to escape reality. I understand that a lot of the things that I create are not for everyone. And most of the time when I am creating something not commissioned, I’m creating for myself and others second. I try not to approach making art as a way of making quick money. Rather I make art just for the love of it and to be able to express myself and share with others who might also relate to my work.

For you, what’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative?

I think the most rewarding aspect of being an artist is seeing the final product come to life. I think the beginning stages of an idea can be intimidating, especially if it’s not going the way you imagined. But then the moment of clarity that happens when you take a step back and realize that the piece is finished, is probably one of the greatest feelings ever.

How did you build your audience on social media?

I think the best way to build an audience on social media is to stay consistent with how often you’re posting, what you’re posting and figuring out who your audience is. As well as figuring out how to brand yourself and your work is also very important. Depending on what social media app you use, learning how their algorithm works can help grow your business. For example, figuring out what times to post during the day can help boost exposure to feeds, certain hashtags to use and etc..

Contact Info:

• Website: https://loreed.com/
• Instagram: @loreed
• Facebook: Lo Reed
• Other: TikTok: @loreedart