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

Hi Laura, thanks for joining us today. Can you talk to us about how you learned to do what you do?

As a small child, I drew on the walls, much to my parents’ dismay! I was always drawn to be an artist, and I loved art classes as a child. By the time I was in high school, I was taking every art class possible. In college, I majored in studio art. I could never get enough of my art classes and studio time. I had incredibly supportive art professors who encouraged me to learn new techniques and to constantly improve the quality of my paintings.

Knowing what I know now, I think what would have helped to speed up my learning process would have be to trust myself more as an artist, and to have more confidence in my abilities and direction. I tended to second-guess myself a lot. I think if I had had more steady confidence in my work, I could have progressed more quickly.

The most essential skill was just putting in hours in the studio and trusting in the creative process. The obstacles that stood in the way of learning more were my own limitations in believing in myself and allowing myself as much studio time as possible to experiment and explore my work further.

Laura, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

I’m an oil painter based in Denver, Colorado, specializing in large-scale atmospheric paintings. When I was in college, I didn’t think it was possible to be a professional artist. I was planning to get my PhD in art history when I started selling my work. The sales that I had in college made me realize that a career as a painter might actually be possible.

I create abstract paintings of clouds, which have a peaceful feel. My goal as an artist is to put the viewer at ease and to get lost in the details of the clouds, almost in a meditative way. My paintings are unique, which sets them apart from other art. I haven’t seen paintings quite like mine before. I work from an image in my mind’s eye, hoping to create authentic, emotional paintings.

I’m most proud of when my paintings resonate enough with someone that they want to have it in their home. That always feels like the highest honor to me as an artist.

Let’s talk about resilience next – do you have a story you can share with us?

Last year, I was diagnosed with cancer and an autoimmune disease. It was the worst year of my life. I wasn’t able to create much art last year. It really forced me to appreciate the simple act of creating art just for art’s sake. I’m happy to say I’m now on the other side of cancer, and I really savor every hour in the studio now.

What can society do to ensure an environment that’s helpful to artists and creatives?

In my opinion, for society to support artists, creatives, and a thriving creative ecosystem, more importance and value should be placed on the arts. Without art, we have a culture lacking in soul. Everyone can support artists and creatives in small ways, whether it be by following more artists on social media or attending art openings in their city. Those small actions go a long way to supporting the creative ecosystem.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://lauraguese.com
• Instagram: https://instagram.com/lauraguese

Image Credits

Images 1-3, photo credit Wes Magyar. Artist photo and images 4 and 5, photo credit Jimena Peck