We were lucky to catch up with Lydia Larson recently and have shared our conversation below.

Lydia, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today We’d love to hear the backstory behind a risk you’ve taken – whether big or small, walk us through what it was like and how it ultimately turned out.

When the pandemic hit in 2020, I felt an unexplainable urgency that ran deep inside my bones. It felt almost spiritual in nature and I knew I had to make a change in my life. I left my full time job and moved away from the busy city where I was living and went on a journey that only I could take. I believed it was possible to find a new path through my art making and this decision led me through a series of unbelievable breakthroughs, lessons learned, and ups and downs that come with leaving a predictable 9-5. That was the risk– I took a leap of faith and entirely walked away from the formula that I was following all my life to earn income and to find purpose. And in that process, my eyes were opened in a way they could not have been otherwise.

With the world in turmoil and ever changing, I felt like I was in danger of getting swept away into a narrative that I did not want to be a part of. What is really true? Who is controlling the frame and the storytelling of our world? I left the hustle and bustle of my every day life and threw myself into my painting practice in a way that I had not done before. I cut ties that kept me bound, I said goodbye to working for others, and took a good hard look at who I am, who I was becoming, and where I wanted my life to go– on my own terms. In finding the courage to pursue my craft full time and take on new creative projects, other doorways of personal growth opened on their own. And my soul began to prosper.

I rose to unique challenges and became braver than I had ever been before. I stopped leaning on structure created by others and started to grow more organically, like a vine on a trellis. Even in the moments where it seemed like I had failed, I grew. I’m thankful for the present day and I know that I could not have gotten here any other way. And the best part is, the momentum guiding my life now is uniquely designed just for me.

Lydia, 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 primarily a large scale oil painter. I have been painting since I was a child, but did not take it seriously until I was about 16 years old. I remember taking an AP Art History class my senior year of high school at the local community college and being utterly arrested by the classical paintings of Rembrandt, Botticelli, Sargent and others. I knew then that I wanted to become a painter and never detoured from that moment. I pursued the arts with a reckless abandon that has been a steady current beneath me all of my life.

After graduate school, I had the opportunity to complete several international artist residencies and see diverse works from all across the globe. I met artists from India to Budapest and collaborated on many projects both large and small. These experiences opened up my mind to possibilities in my own work and where my life could go. I think that seeing the world is really important if you go into the arts. It stretches your imagination profoundly.

In addition to pursuing my personal work, I often take on custom commissions for clients either directly or through interior designers. I am extremely spatially and spiritually sensitive, which I believe is a strength when it comes to creating custom work for residential or corporate spaces. One designer in NYC has called me, ‘the house whisperer’ for my ability to interpret what a space needs without a client necessarily saying a word. I have had success with my work as many pieces have been collected across the country and the world. I do love taking on custom projects and murals are a joy also.

I am proud of my consistent painting practice through the years and ability to pivot when needed. I am currently pursuing a body of work called the Overcomer series which in part references horses as load bearers and helpers along difficult paths. I believe that artists have a gift and responsibilty for standing in the space between the seen and the unseen. I see myself as a channel to visually interpret this gap. Along these lines, I just launched a giclee’ print shop called ‘Painters and Prophets’ to make my work more accessible for those who want to have a window into the little worlds I create.

What can society do to ensure an environment that’s helpful to artists and creatives?

Art will never die or cease to exist, but in an ever evolving world where technology and AI seem to be taking over at an alarming rate, I think it’s more important than ever to understand the value of that which is made by hand. We can support each other by shopping small, shopping local, and being aware of creative spaces (galleries, studios, creative collectives, etc) in our cities that open their doors.

I am currently working in South Carolina and my studio recently hosted an artist’s market and we were filled to the brim with visitors. It was such a joy to connect with the community and to buy, sell, and trade works of art. I think whenever possible, try to support small business and individuals. Choosing to spend $100 on a platform like Etsy over Amazon is how you can touch people’s lives and support the flourishing of makers.

Walls will also never cease to exist and the power of a work of art cannot be underestimated. It is worth investing in works of art you love and in turn, the creative ecosystem flourishes.

What do you find most rewarding about being a creative?

The most rewarding aspect of being an artist is having the ability to create and manifest in the physical realm the things that I see in my mind, dream, or think about.

I started having extremely vivid dreams and visions several years ago and it felt more important than ever to write them down, sketch it out, or paint what I was seeing. Art is a language and it gives me the ability to express in images that which I cannot always say with words which is extremely satisfying. I think as humans, we need more than words to communicate. Painting for me is that vehicle.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.lydialarsonstudio.com
• Instagram: @lydialarsonstudio

Image Credits

credit photographer: TJ McSherry