We had the good fortune of connecting with Lauren Anderson and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Lauren, can you tell us about an impactful book you’ve read and why you liked it or what impact it had on you?
When I was in high school, I read “My Name is Asher Lev” by Chaim Potok for English class; it struck a chord in me and made me consider a career in art for the first time. The book is about a young art prodigy who finds his voice in painting and has to navigate the tensions and conflicts it causes between his art and his identity as a Jew, his community, and his family. It’s been a long time since I read the book, but I think I was drawn to the concept of identity and to Asher’s complete dedication to his path, his creative voice, and his gift for art. Despite the many conflicts that arose as a result of Asher’s art, I was inspired by him and wanted some part of the life he led. I distinctly remember wanting to take my artistic inclinations seriously, beyond being a nice hobby, for the first time.

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.
Primarily, I work in oil paint and combine working from observation, photographs, and my mind. My subject matter is usually based in still life, but I also incorporate landscape and I’m becoming more open to the idea of including figures. My paintings portray a sense of beauty, balance, and mindfulness, while also being a reflection of my collective experienced moments. Whether it’s an experience of painful loss, finding beauty in something ordinary, or feeling nostalgic and reminiscent, these moments become my muse. Over the past couple years, my paintings have become increasingly more personal as I muster up the courage to draw on these moments for inspiration. I think this vulnerability has helped my work feel more honest and authentic, and simultaneously more relatable for viewers. Strangely enough, I think it’s also helping me develop a stronger sense of confidence in my voice. I enjoy problem solving, but I’m also a big advocate of asking for help. Whenever I come up against a challenge in my career, I lean on any resource I can find. I talk to mentors, fellow artists, read books, go to therapy, watch YouTube videos, take and retake classes/seminars/webinars, and just keep on trying. I definitely don’t have all the answers, and I don’t think it will ever be easy, but I’m still giving it my all because this is what I’m passionate about. While COVID has brought with it a strange new set of challenges, it has been a great lesson in adaptability and has brought with it lots of new opportunities. As the world has shifted to online platforms, artists are no exception. I’ve been really enjoying supporting other artists through helping them with their online presence. Specifically, I offer Squarespace website design services, and I also work for several artists providing them with tech support for their online courses. I’m really proud of the support I can offer fellow artists and I enjoy the work!

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
Well there’s certainly no shortage of things to do or see in and around Denver. Some of our go-to local spots when we have visitors include: – Green Valley Ranch Beer Garden – Visiting the bison in the Rocky Mountain Arsenal National Wildlife Refuge – Stanley Marketplace for Rosenberg’s bagels, Denver Biscuit Co., Marie’s Empanadas, and Cheluna Brewing Co. – Santa Fe Art Walk and food trucks (ideally on a First Friday) – You could spend a week just visiting different breweries, but one of our favorites is Denver Beer Co. For a few day trips: – Colorado Springs – Garden of the Gods and Manitou Springs – Boulder – the first Colorado hike we did was the Royal Arch hike in Boulder, so we like to bring our visitors there too! – Rocky Mountain National Park and Estes Park for site seeing and hiking We like a good mix of mountains, good food, and beer.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
There were and are so many! My grandfather, Jerry O’Connor, is a watercolor artist. Since the very beginning, he has always been a huge supporter and encourager of my artistic interests. He was (and still is) always making sure I had the materials I needed, and whenever we were together he made time to give me an impromptu art lesson. We continue to share our latest works and resources with each other, and he’s still teaching me new tricks. I’m forever grateful for his love and support.

Website: www.laurenandersonfineart.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/laurenanderson_fineart/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/laurenanderson71292

Nominate Someone: ShoutoutColorado is built on recommendations and shoutouts from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.