We recently connected with Laura Thomas and have shared our conversation below.

Alright, Laura thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. Earning a full time living from one’s creative career can be incredibly difficult. Have you been able to do so and if so, can you share some of the key parts of your journey and any important advice or lessons that might help creatives who haven’t been able to yet?

I am proud to say I earn a living as a full time artist. For me, I do various forms of art to make a living. I have been a tattoo artist for over 16 years, a professional chalk artist for over 11 years, I also do commissioned paintings for clients, designs for businesses, and have a chalk stencil business called I Chalk Arted.

I realized at a young age it was hard to become a “Gallery Artist” which is what I originally wanted to do in my early years in life. I ended up getting into tattooing, which at the time I was very much so interested in, but I also felt it was one of the only ways I could see making a living doing art at the time.

It was with tattooing that I honed my skills, worked on my style of art, and began to branch out into other forms of art that eventually added to that consistent income.

It was and has been hard at times. I think for anyone in a creative field there are ups and downs for sure. Realizing the importance of having not only an impressive portfolio, but also bringing to the table professionalism and good work ethic are very important. Knowing your “worth” is also just as important. I can however say there have been times when I choose to accept a project that pays less than I would normally charge because I recognized the benefits of working with the client, creating the art, adding that art to my portfolio, etc. Evaluating every project carefully has allowed me to build that base for myself as an artist and has helped me get to where I am today.

Laura, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

I am a tattoo artist, professional traveling chalk artist and I own my own business called I Chalk Arted.

It was through tattooing that I found chalk art. I can definitely say it was the medium I was meant to create with!

I began creating large chalk murals ( on the ground ) at chalk events. I then branched out to doing privately commissioned chalk pieces for businesses along with traveling to other states creating chalk art. For those that have never seen or heard of chalk art, it is an art form that has been around and originated in 16th century Italy. Artists that create chalk art are commonly known as Madonnari. I create large murals on sidewalks, asphalt, etc. I have created pieces that took anywhere from 1 day up to 5 days to complete. Once a piece is completed, they either naturally fade away with the weather or get power washed off the ground. As an artist I find it extremely therapeutic to put everything I have into creating something beautiful, something inspiring, then walking away from it. I believe it has helped me as an artist to create more art and not feel the need to hold onto my own art.

It was in 2020 when I decided to figure out a way to help others learn or simply have fun with chalk art. I created a business called I Chalk Arted, which offers large reusable roll up stencils, various designs to choose from, and supplies for people to purchase in the form of a “kit” to help them create their own chalk designs. I think the most common statement I hear from people when they look at my chalk art is “ I could never do that, I can only draw a stick figure.” It was this comment that sparked my idea to create this business. I wanted anyone and everyone to be able to enjoy creating art with chalk, and hopefully inspire more people to get into the art form as well! And for people wanting to create something on a larger scale than the stencils I offer, I also created a guide book that walks you through the steps to grid and draw out a massive chalk mural design!

Is there a mission driving your creative journey?

My goal is to inspire the world, change peoples views with my art. Make people think. Often times a piece I create may on the surface look beautiful or spark laughter, but more often than not I usually have a hidden message behind what I create. Sometime I share what the message is, sometimes I keep it to myself, and sometimes I wait for someone to say what they see in it, and when it hits what my goal was I smile and say “you understood it!”

I am passionate about spreading art and the importance of people creating art. For myself art was and is my truest form of communication. Especially when I was a child. Without a doubt art and creativity helped me through a very difficult childhood. It was my voice, my own personal therapy. But it also allowed me to learn at a young age that my art can help others. To bring them into a different world, change their current mindset, evoke laughter and a smile, whatever it may be for that person. That for me is the magic of art.

What’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative in your experience?

Hearing from fellow artists, friends, family, and people I have never met that I “Inspire them” is truly one of the most rewarding feelings.

And with my chalk stencil business, seeing photos and reading “thank you notes” from people that had a blast creating a chalk design they never thought they could have before is truly priceless.

Contact Info:

• Website: Www.LauraThomasStudios.com. My Stencil Business is: www.ichalkarted.com
• Instagram: @lthomasthedenverartist. And. @ichalk_arted
• Facebook: Laura Thomas: The Denver Artist