We were lucky to catch up with Laura Stevens recently and have shared our conversation below.

Laura, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. Can you talk to us about how you learned to do what you do?

From a very young age, I loved arts and crafts. When I was in elementary school, I took a group art class where I primarily used pastels as a medium. I remember so vividly learning first to sketch my subject (usually a dolphin or cat, of course), selecting which colors I would need, then how to blend my colors without losing the shape of my subject. As I grew older and other interests emerged, I didn’t have time to take art classes anymore. Many years went by where every so often, I’d pop into Michael’s to buy a blank canvas and some paints so I could paint for a day to scratch the itch.

Fast forward to March 2020.. my gut reaction was to purchase an adult coloring book to ease my pandemic anxiety. I quickly realized how much I had missed leaning into my artistic side and how much peace it brought me. In early 2021, I discovered a few alcohol ink artists on Instagram and fell in love. Through Instagram and YouTube videos (and LOTS of practice) I taught myself how to create with inks and resin. When I first started out, I painted nearly everyday, even if it was for just 20 minutes before bed. The consistency was what really what helped me learn and grow my technique. I took a break from creating in 2022, and definitely felt my technique slipping. I think one of the skills that is most essential is patience. Learning a new medium can be so rewarding and also frustrating at times. Patience and practice are the keys!

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 am a self-taught multi-medium artist based in Brooklyn, NY. I work full time as a project manager for a healthcare company and I love being able to use the creative side of my brain through my art. I primarily use alcohol inks and acrylic paints to create fluid abstract artwork, but love to try out the occasional new medium and DIY project. A lot of my work is inspired by the ocean, so you’ll see a lot of blues, white, and gold. I recently moved into a studio and am so excited to host small gatherings for friends to have space to create together. I know I am not alone in feeling a sense of relief with a paint brush in my hand, and love being able to create space for others to show their artsy side!

Is there something you think non-creatives will struggle to understand about your journey as a creative?

It’s been a long self-growth journey to get where I am now. As easy as it may seem to those following on social media, it’s actually really challenging to open up and share my art with the world. There’s a lot on vulnerability that comes with sharing something that you put a lot of time and energy into with the fears that either people won’t see it or won’t like it. One of the things that I’ve learned is that as I don’t love every piece of art I see, many people will feel the same about mine. And that is 100% okay!

What do you think is the goal or mission that drives your creative journey?

I rented an art studio in Brooklyn for a year to give myself more space and freedom to create. This is a big deal since for the last several years, I have been confined to the living room of our one-bedroom apartment! My goal for this year is to really lean into my artwork by trying new mediums and painting larger scale pieces. I am determined to use this time and space to nail down my niche. If I can make something out of it – great! If this is just a year of artistic growth in a 200 sf studio – also great! I am excited to see where the next several months take me on my creative journey.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://society6.com/a/artists/laurajstevensart
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/laurastevens.art/
• Other: Etsy: https://www.etsy.com/shop/laurastevensartshop