We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Laura Blue Palmer a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Laura Blue , looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. Did you always know you wanted to pursue a creative or artistic career? When did you first know?

I have known for most of my life that art is my passion although, It took me a while to figure out that I could actually connect with other people through what I create.

When I graduated high school, I was accepted to attend fine art college in Savannah Georgia at the Savannah College of Art and Design. I decided to go west instead and attend liberal arts college at the University of Montana where I could explore different classes and not focus entirely on art. The short story is that I did end up spending most of my time in the college art building, the magnetic hold of painting was all consuming. I spent two years painting in that space.

While Montana was fun, I found it to be small, so after two years, I decided to head even further west. I was accepted into the San Francisco Art Institute because I knew that it was time to focus on art, I just didn’t know how to facilitate a career in it. Art schools in the 90’s weren’t known to teach anyone how to do this exactly, maybe no one tells you even now. I worked jobs waiting tables, exploring the city, and led a pretty active life working, creating, and just being young, frankly, I was getting a bit lost by being distracted.

I moved back to Montana in 2000, I was thirsting for the wilderness and closer friendships. I had almost abandoned my art aspirations entirely. My distracted years lasted a little longer until I met my future husband who was working on a wildlife science project in Gardiner, MT.

My husband and I spent much time outdoors, hiking and exploring together. He decided to pursue a doctorate in wildlife biology which put us in Bozeman, MT. This is when I began working as a manager at Pier 1 Imports and met a colleague who was on a similar path. We teamed up together and rended a warehouse studio on the west side of Bozeman. This is the exact time I decided to get focused on painting. The second I decided this was a possibility, opportunities organically began to fall into place, it was a nudge from the universe that this was and is my truth. I got a job in a beautiful art gallery in downtown Bozeman and they gave me my first real art show and the rest is history!

Laura Blue, 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 am a fine artist out of western Montana. I have been practicing art my whole life, my grandfather was an artist from Virginia who died in a plane crash in 1950. I have been influenced and surrounded by his art since I was a baby.

I have a BFA in Fine Arts from the San Francisco Art Institute and make my creations at home in my studio which I built during the pandemic.

I am mostly known for making intuitive atmospheric landscapes, but I also have an abundant collection of abstract work, and a pile of realistic bird and animal work.

I think what sets me apart from other artists is that my work is mostly intuitive. My landscape work is not representational, It does fall in between being photographic and abstract. These scenes are from deep inside my soul. My work usually ends up triggering a memory of a place in time to my viewers. I’d say that many of my paintings portray dreams, they evoke emotions, and allow people to escape.

I am proud of the work I create, no two of my paintings are quite the same. I like that I work in several genres and I love the idea that I can provide something for everyone. I want my collectors to have options.

Can you share a story from your journey that illustrates your resilience?

Before the market crashed in 2008, I was flying high and represented in seven different art galleries nationally. I sold a lot of paintings then, I gained a lot of recognition. This was what nurtured my artist confidence and suddenly provided direction and gave me a motive to maintain a prosperous art career.

After the crash, I witnessed each art gallery close one by one. If they didn’t close, they shifted perspectives and my own perspectives perspectives needed to shift along with it.

I’d say, it was very difficult navigating having success in the very beginning of my career and then having to accept sharp decline, it was hard to process. The beauty of this is that It has made me work harder in re finding my footing. I feel really blessed, My collectors have stuck by my side, I have slowly grown my business on my own over time. I manage myself, represent myself, and consider myself tenacious and savvy in online marketing and using the social market platforms. I do have outside gallery and shop representation, I continue expanding.

What do you find most rewarding about being a creative?

The best reward I get from being an artist is when I get collector feedback.

I have sold multiple paintings to people who have experiences loss. The most beautiful feedback is when a client tells me that my work reminds me of their loved one, that they can connect with their loss through my artwork. When I am creating my paintings, it is a deeply spiritual practice for me and having someone tell me how powerful my artwork is for them to sit with is very sacred and powerful.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.laurablueart.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/laurablueart/?hl=en
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/laurablueart/
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/lbpstars

Image Credits
https://mairajenksfotografia.pixieset.com/