Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Lauren Markham. 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 Can you open up about a risk you’ve taken – what it was like taking that risk, why you took the risk and how it turned out?
My life, (maybe everyone’s) is the accumulation of perpetual risk. They might be subtle everyday decisions, but even with those—aren’t we all weighing the risk-reward ratio? Like which road will get me to my destination fastest or what kind of meal will make me feel best and hit the spot? Then, there are the objectively riskier decisions that impact every aspect of our lives and even change our trajectory.
One of the biggest risks I’ve taken most recently was leaving my job as a Senior Graphic Designer at the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum in 2021. Five years prior, in 2016, I moved to Nashville to pursue my then goal of becoming a graphic designer. This was five years after graduating from Savannah College of Art and Design with a BFA in painting. At that time, I was at a loss for what to do/how to make a living as a painter. An opportunity to intern at the Museum arose and I took a leap of faith. I packed my bags, moved to Nashville for an unpaid internship, with no job, and only a couple thousand dollars in my bank account. It was just enough money to put down the first month of rent, the security deposit, and lead a frugal life while I chipped away at my goal. Interns were required to work 20 hours per week for three months—I dedicated at least 40 hours per week, pouring myself into each assignment and absorbing as much knowledge about my pursuit as possible. As the conclusion of my internship was approaching, an opening for a entry level graphic design position became available—I immediately applied. I took hours getting my resume and portfolio ready, I went through several rounds of nerve-racking interviews, I piece-mealed as much freelance work as possible to make ends meet and about a month later, news had come—I landed the role!
For the next four and a half years, I passionately worked on a plethora of projects. They ranged from Museum wide advertising campaigns to the development of on-site restaurant branding, and most notably creating official exhibits for artists Ralph Stanley, Keith Whitley, and Martina McBride. I cherished each of these projects and reveled in the work I created. With each new step came a promotion and more challenging projects.
This complete dedication left little space for personal evolution and outside endeavors. Objectively, I was proud of myself for how far I’d come as a graphic designer, but my self-esteem was at an all time low. Something was amiss. I was disconnected from my inner compass—my intuitive guide I had always been so familiar with. I randomly created personal artwork/paintings, but I was depleted of space and energy to truly explore. They felt flippant and unstudied, not what I envisioned for myself and nothing I was able to feel any sense of reward from.
Then 2020 came and of course, the pandemic. The pandemic brought an abundance of negatives but with it also came a new working from home world. As an extreme introvert, I was delighted with this new work environment. Finally, time to myself. An opportunity for quietness, personal space, and exploration. Although that year did not yield any paintings, it was the beginning of a recentering and reconnection.
Fast forward to summer of 2021, the Museum was asking it’s employees to return to full time in-office work. Something I was profoundly dreading. So after many long talks with my partner and the Museum, I made the huge decision not to return. What I found during the time away was just too special. I did not want to forfeit the relationship I had reestablished with my intuitive nature. So I made yet another leap of faith. I was to pursue freelance work, whether it be graphic design, fine art, commissions, or murals. This time, I had a bit more money put away than during my last leap (2016) and I had also decided to take a position serving tables to ensure I wasn’t burning through my savings. Fortunately, due to word of mouth and luck, I landed some fruitful graphic design clients within the first couple months. During the next couple years, the freelance lifestyle allowed me to find my roots and shift my focus back to my original love, painting. Painting became a daily goal and adventure.
Through social media I learned of the STRADA easel challenge. Paint every day, from life, for the entirety of January or September, the longest months of the year. I knew painting from life was important to every realist artists practice, but this challenge not only made that clearer, it made the practice fun. I was incredibly inspired by my fellow artists work and wanted to hone those skills myself. So, I decided to make painting from life a primary focus within my daily practice. Throughout this endeavor, I attended multiple open studios per week, all with live models, met extremely talented artists in my surrounding community and eventually attended several workshops taught by living masters. These experiences helped develop my discipline and have shown me the commitment it takes to create artwork that aligns with my vision.
Intuition has guided me to the next chapter—a chapter of integration. Integrating all that I’ve learned from this recent outside education with my own innate proclivities and curiosities. Like in 2020, I have come back to my beloved quietness. This time in the walls of my own studio with the space, time, and confidence to explore. It is coming to fruition in three main bodies of work: a series inspired by the Velveteen Rabbit, a series of character studies, and of course, a traditional still life series. Each of these intently focus on form, light, color, and space all while celebrating the magical and mysterious craftsmanship of art-making.
This leads me to my third and current leap of faith—to honor my hard work and show these pieces to the world. Peter Drucker said, “The best way to predict the future is to create it.” It’s my responsibility to get these pieces in front of the right audience. The right person will value my works’ existence either because they love the composition and craftsmanship or because the piece resonates with a personal experience of their own.
Lauren, 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?
From a young age, I was fascinated with creating. I would disappear into my childhood bedroom, for hours on end, fastidiously working on my next masterpiece. I equally loved both the peace that would wash over me as I worked and the praise I would receive upon completion … “You are so talented;” “What an amazing artist you are.” … I knew I was going to be an artist when I grew up.
I earned my BFA in painting from Savannah College of Art and Design. Since then my journey has lead me to graphic design, mural design and install, and, most importantly, having a studio practice and building a body of fine art.
My practice honors centuries old traditions of oil painting, while simultaneously bringing focus into a modern perspective—art for art’s sake. I relish in designing captivating compositions that elevate nuance and accurately portray my subjects. Also, I love celebrating the messy nature of oil paint. Manipulating it with the build up of brush strokes and color to create deceptively tangible imagery. The combination of the above elements can be captivating. Familiar yet mysterious, surgical yet mystical, ordinary yet extraordinary. We all miss something in everything.
To be a “good” painter is not easy. Countless unseen hours are spent tirelessly executing. Miles of canvas are marked with an equally large quantity of paint. A trail of unremarkable paintings precedes one remarkable painting. My hard work in this vocation is exhilarating. The reward doesn’t simply lie in praise from others, but in my personal experience of showing up to the arena and meeting the challenge. I hope viewers are similarly enchanted with this essence upon encountering my work. I hope they are captivated by the composition, stop to observe the execution and stay to take in all the nuance they missed at first glance.
Any resources you can share with us that might be helpful to other creatives?
When I graduated college and began my job search, while also pursuing fine art, I wish I had known of the service industry. That might sound like an odd thing to call a resource, but as an artist, the service industry meets three essential needs:
1) The service industry can be lucrative depending on your location and place of business.
2) Hours in the service industry are flexible, although they can be grueling.
3) The service industry gives you an opportunity to get out of your studio and flex those social muscles. Not to mention, a little bit of interaction goes a long way when it comes to inspiration.
Having these three needs met would’ve provided me the freedom and resources to be diligent about my goals. Also, I wish I would’ve tapped into the local art scene earlier. Open studios with live models, reaching out to local artists for possible mentorship, and attending artist workshops are just a few of the available resources in most local scenes.
What can society do to ensure an environment that’s helpful to artists and creatives?
One of the more important elements in helping to maintain a sustainable creative ecosystem is the consideration of the artists themselves. Supporting artists, understanding their value and realizing they deserve to charge, and be paid, a living wage. This helps set a precedent to the general public. Good art takes time—a lot of time—and the cost of traditional materials is probably exponentially higher than what people would expect. Not to mention, the time and dedication it takes to develop these skills is something that goes unacknowledged far too often. It does not help the ecosystem to undercharge. Friends, family, and general patrons shouldn’t ask for discounts, and in my experience, real friends want to contribute. Artists deserve to be paid their full fee, as it’s how we make our living.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://laurenmarkhamart.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lauren.markham.art/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Lauren.Markham.Art/
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lauren-markam-9719453b/
