We recently connected with Lauri Matisse and have shared our conversation below.

Lauri, thanks for taking the time to share your stories 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 multi-talented, entrepreneurial woman who is, ‘of the arts’, I would say. I have lived off of my creative talents since 1983. I have made money with Architecture, Interior Design, Furniture Design,Landscape Design, Art, Books, and Film Writing. I have also raised four children alone on my creative talents. My mom had a cool shop in the late 60’s – 80’s called the Cat’s Meow. She was a woman entrepreneur who broke the business models in her time, mostly dominated by men. I spend my days creating architecture for my cats with the display items. Part of her shop was a fabric shop, so I also got to sew and create as I worked in that atmosphere.
Even though my mom was an entrepreneur, my family didn’t understand ‘The Arts’. My dad was in finance and he encouraged me to get a professional degree. I was a creative on every level, artist, writer and musician. If I had someone who guided me and understood that a person could make money from The Arts, I would have possibly had a better foundation to bounce from into real life, but as it was I made my own way because as an artist, true creative, I had to make art in some form, or I felt my soul would die. In essence, I believe true artists, writers, poets, creators are light bearers to society. We have to find that light of creativity, live in it and let it shine to others.
I started out in college as a theater art major. I wanted to be a PlayWright. My dad said, ‘What’s a playwright?’ I said, ‘you know, a person who writes plays in NYC.’ He said again, you need to be a professional. I said, ‘what is that?’ He said, ‘medical, accounting, lawyer, engineer.’ I replied, ‘Dad?! I’m none of those things.’ Fortunately, I saw a girl drawing architectural plans. I had really no idea what an architect was except the dad on the Brady Bunch was an architect. ha ha. But when I saw the plans, I said, ‘what are you doing?’ She said ‘Architecture’. I knew that was what I wanted to do, but writing was still my passion.
Cut to 40 years later, I wrote and published my first book at age 23. I have now published 3 inspirational books. I became a fine artist and had a pretty successful art career doing shows and in galleries. I graduated in the top 3% of my class in Architecture and I have a successful Architecture firm. I, also, got to write/produce film, write and publish 8 children’s books and I even wrote a 28 page musical. And… I ended up raising 4 children alone leaning solely on my creative talents. With a multiple talents, the challenge has been what to focus on. People would say, ‘You have to choose one talent to focus on.’ One major milestone I had was advice from a mentor who I met in college, although it was years before I took his advice. His name was Michael Graves, a famous architect, who when I met him was designing his famous Portland Building, but he was also designing carpets in Spain and ballet costumes. He told me that he focused on his architecture then the other creative outlets opened up for him.
In 2000, I was single, providing for my children with very little support. I had become a full time artist during my marriage so we were living off of my art and my book sales, I also taught art at a private school part time, but we were struggling. Michael Graves words came back to me to put architecture first. So, I did and it was tough getting back into a field that has become digital since I had left it. (Biggest word of advice to women, don’t give up your career for your husband) I started out with a small project and took anything that came my way. My confidence built and now I have a successful Architecture firm with several employees. I also own a Gallery called the MOO Gallery where I sell my books and art. Along the way, I have given back to the communities I’ve lived in doing pro bono design work for schools and churches. I have mentored kids and people in their creative paths and helped with community art projects. I am very passionate about helping people find their creative voice.
I think to speed up the process, I would have appreciated a mentor early one in life, who understood the Arts and that you can make money with your talent. This day and age, there are so many more paths to do this and more encouragement out there I think. I also really appreciated Julia Cameron’s books. The Artist Way changed my life. At the time when I read it, I had some notion/misbelief that to be an artist is selfish. After working through the Artist Way, I felt sure that the Creator, has given me these creative talents to share with the world. I try to help others tap into the Creator and find their own creative path that they were destined to be on as an artist.
In terms of ‘how did I make it happen’? I had a lot of passion to learn and create, so when an idea came to me, I went for it. I also surrounded myself with other creatives making money from their talent. I lived in LA at the time, so I had friends who were writers, artists, musicians, actors, etc. Also, I shut my ears to anyone who said things like ‘O, you’re a writer now?’ I just did it. Also, again, my mother’s courage as an entrepreneur and her voice helped me a lot. She believed in me. She would say, ‘You are so talented. You can do anything you set your mind too. God created you for something special.’ I wish every creative could hear that voice.

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.

I fell into Architecture school in college and ended up really loving it! I realized when I was a kid, I would design houses all day long, making them out of old display items, crates, boxes, pieces of plastic or glass. My best design was a rotating three story plexiglass house for my cat. Now, I have been a licensed Architect for 30+ years and for a living I design spaces for clients all day long! I am convinced that if you can watch a kid play long enough, they will tell you what their vocation will be by what they like to play with on a consistent basis. I was mentored and trained by Internationally acclaimed Architects and Designers. I am passionate about great design. Great Design helps clients customize their dream into reality. Matisse Studios, my Boutique Architecture & Design firm offers personalized Architecture, Interior and Landscape design services for clients. We do high end estates, small commercial spaces and also small tight spaces. I personally enjoy master planning a project and the complexity of a hillside design, but I also enjoy the challenge of a tight space and have been called ‘the small space genius.’ What sets us apart from other Architecture firms, is that we provide over the top customer service. Our passion for bringing a project from conception to completion within budge drives our service. We also are known to really LISTEN to what the client wants and delivery more than they were expecting. Efficient Flow and Space Design is so vital to a person’s daily life. We usually can get more space for less total amount because of this efficient Space Flow. I am also a visionary so I am always looking into innovative design and I have been published for my innovative structural use of bamboo. Architect are usually multifaceted, like one of my architect friends is also a musician and a writer like me. As a writer and artist, I also continue to sell my books and art in my gallery and online and am building my children’s book brand.

Have you ever had to pivot?

I graduated from Architecture school at the top of my class. I was extremely drive to be the best architect in the world. I got my architecture license at an early age after working for four years under an internationally acclaimed architect. I ended up getting married and having babies. I gave up my career because my ex husband’s career was very demanding. 15 years later, I became a single mom with multiple children to raise alone. The dreams of being a ‘Star Architect’ seemed very vague and in the distant past. I wasn’t a spring chicken just out of architecture school anymore, but I had become an artist and writer during my marriage. I decided to market myself as a ‘Total Concept Designer’ I would offer my experience as an artist as well, taking into account their art collections, their heirlooms, etc. Basically, I stated, that I would hold a client’s hand. The onset was very humbling as the first project I worked on was a garage, but I did a good job with that and client’s began to refer me to others. I landed an amazing project with an entrepreneur and self made millionaire who owned multiple properties. Because I was there to hold his hand, I listened to everything he wanted and made it happen. I was working on an architecture remodel on his historical spanish style project. He asked me to get the ‘Best Landscape Architect’ in the city. So, I did. He didn’t really like the proposal so I said, ‘I’m an Architect, I can do anything.’ Give me a shot at it? So I made a proposal he loved and got to design his 1/1-2 acre estate landscape, working with amazing landscape lighting designers, horticulturists and even designed the tiles that we made to my specification. Later on, when he bought a modern house, he wanted the best modern furniture from Italy. He ended up not liking what I showed him and I said, ‘I’m an architect, I can do anything!’ He agreed to let me do the full Interiors and I designed every stick of furniture in the house. It was a fabulous and exhilarating experience! The project had a 8 week timeline. I was told it was impossible! I had an amazing contractor and found an awesome furniture builder and we got it done in 10 weeks. I’ve been told, I’m the best architect a client has every worked with and the only one in the construction field they’ve every trusted. I lay my ego aside as much as possible and I just try to show up and give the client a total design concept experience. There’s always a chance to remake yourself. Never give up!

For you, what’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative?

The most rewarding part of being an artist or creative is that I can use my unique voice to tell my unique story to inspire people and to inspire other creatives. One of my motto’s has always been, If you make a movie no one wants to show, make a theater to show it in. If you write a book no one wants to publish, publish it yourself! If you make a piece of art too big to fit in a room, design a room around it. I was in an art history class years ago when the professor was talking about ‘Light Bearers’. He was teaching us about great creatives like Michelangelo and he said if you’re an artist/poet/writer/creative, you are a light bearer to shape a culture with your creative work. That really inspired me! One of the books I wrote is all poetry. A famous French poet said, ‘sometimes the poetic sense is the only lantern in the darkness.’ This quote from Pablo Neruda’s poem, ‘Poetry’ And it was at that age … Poetry arrived
in search of me. I don’t know, I don’t know where
it came from, from winter or a river.
I don’t know how or when,
no they were not voices, they were not
words, nor silence,
but from a street I was summoned,
from the branches of night,
abruptly from the others,
among violent fires
or returning alone,
there I was without a face
and it touched me.’ really inspired me as an artist. As a writer, poet, musician, artist, architect, I am always seeking to reveal my true soul’s purpose as a creative. In doing this, I like to think I am a light bearer. Staying true to my creative soul is what drives me which is not always financially the best choice, but I just have never been able to sell out. Sometimes I have thought of being a creative is a cruel joke, ha ha. Like the most sensitive people have to stay sensitive to create, but then you put your work out to an insensitive crowd. But I’ve chosen to just stay true to my voice and I’ve had a rewarding path.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.laurimatisse.com; www.matissestudios.com; wwwevesmemoirs.com
• Instagram: @LauriMatisse @LauriMatisseStudio @LauriMatisseAuthor
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MatisseStudios
• Linkedin: LauriMatisse
• Youtube: matissestudios

Image Credits

Aaron Szabo Photographer; Doug Mazell Photographer