Meet Kathryn Lanning | Instructor & Artist

We had the good fortune of connecting with Kathryn Lanning and we’ve shared our conversation below.
Hi Kathryn, why did you pursue a creative career?
Even from a young age I seemed predisposed for self-reflection, the introvert who internalized everything and pondered profusely. Wanting to know what to expect, fearing mistakes, and timidly engaging in the world, I often found myself standing on the sidelines. Except in the studio.
Dance has long been my outlet for self-expression, allowing me the freedom to say in movement what I struggled to state aloud. I am most alive when I am performing, drawing from the deepest wells of my being to convey what I can only say with my body. After 10 years dancing professionally, I now focus on sharing dance as expression to students of all ages.
But art, too, has been a lovely companion in my life. Drawing, sketching, painting, creating, experimenting, expressing…. frequently finding myself placated with a paint brush and palate. For me, art is another medium through with I can create and contribute beauty to my world, and in doing so, express the personal side of me. I have few expectations of my art, and it is equally as forgiving of me; my creations are merely another way of expression, my career less a career and more a habit.
A while and another career ago, as an elementary school classroom teacher, I read a book whose message urged the reader to “add a bit of beauty” to the world around them; it became a mission. Now, as my small business is titled, I seek to add “a bit of beauty (and grace)” through simple brushstrokes, whimsical designs, repurposed furniture to inspire children, as well as through art/dance instruction, movement and choreography, and the way I see others and allow myself, vulnerably, to be seen. I wish to leave my subtle but meaningful mark on this world, the completion of my soul’s purposeful journey. I want nothing more than to understand, to accept, and to share the many facets of my being – the beauty of design and the richness of grace.
Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
I savor simplicity. I honor humility. I am grateful for the grace I’ve received, and blessed by the beauty in my world that serves to inspire. I am not perfect.
My art originated from these; it was my soul’s way of self-expression and arose from a simple desire to understand myself. I have been dancing and creating from very young, but while I received my degree and licensure in education, all the while teaching classes on the side, I realized I was equally as happy working by sharing the arts with children as I was teaching in the schools. My “habits” of always dancing and painting and working with children ultimately became my career; now, I teach dance classes to students of all ages, teach art and movement workshops to school aged children on outreach, and paint refurbished furniture and playful flower pots for my small business. These simple means of using my gifts (the grace I’ve been given), humbly and honestly sharing myself with others, seeking to add “a bit of beauty” to my world, and continuing to express myself through dance have guided me forward in life to a career and livelihood I love. And I couldn’t be more grateful for the opportunity to express my self in these art-full ways.
If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
As a Colorado native (third generation!), I appreciate the beauty of our state. And that includes the Western Slope, where the Rocky Mountains are met with farmland and mesas, and you can taste the best peaches, corn, and cherries Colorado has to offer. From hiking trails almost out your backdoor, to the ski country, the mountains never disappoint. But I also love the local flavors and my favorite pastimes include discovering unique businesses in different corners of the suburbs, such as in the Highlands, around Sloan’s Lake, along Tennyson Street, up in Boulder, and all around Denver. You’re sure to find a cozy cafe, a beautiful boutique with enticing purchases, homemade or handmade goods, a vegan restaurant that’s top-notch, or a delicious ice-cream shop to pop into.
The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
Early on my mother saw the quiet but reflective side of me come alive through movement and art and she quickly enrolled me in dance classes and art camps. I never stopped. Thank you to her for being alongside every performance and creation of mine.
I’ve found a community at the Arvada Center for the Arts and Humanities, a home away from home; it served me first as a young student, and now as an instructor and choreographer. Growing up within the walls of its studios and classrooms, and witnessing hundreds of my own students blossom as a result of a supportive and creative environment found there, I am forever grateful to this organization.
Website: www.abitofbeautyandgrace.com
Instagram: @abitofbeautyandgrace
Other: Etsy shop: abitofbeautyandgrace