MY JOURNEY AS AN ARTIST
I HAVE ALWAYS LOVED ANY KIND OF ART. I STARTED PAINTING IN GRADE SCHOOL AND PAINT BY NUMBERS OIL PICTURES WHEN I WAS 7YRS OLD.
MY MOM WAS VERY ARTISTIC. WHEN I WAS 6 SHE MADE THIS SANTA (LIFE SIZED) OUT OF CARDBOARD AND I WAS FASCINATED WITH IT. SHE PAINTED THE WINDOWS OF OUR HOME WITH LAUNDRY SOAP AND FOOD COLORING AT CHRISTMAS. SHE ALSO MADE GERMAN FOLDED STARS. AS TEENS WE GOT TO HELP MAKE THEM.
IN GRADE SCHOOL I WAS ALWAYS CHOSEN TO HELP MAKE SPORTS POSTERS AND EARNED EXTRA CREDITS FOR IT.
IN JUNIOR HIGH THE SCHOOL OFFERED ELECTIVES AND I CHOSE ART, LEATHER CRAFTING, DRAFTING, AND COPPER FOIL. EACH ELECTIVE OFFERED A ADVENTURE IN CRAFTING I HAD NOT TRAVELLED.
IN HIGH SCHOOL I WAS INTRODUCED TO DRAMA AND OIL PAINTING (STILL LIFE). I PLAYED THE CHARACTER MEG IN 'LITTLE WOMEN' THE PLAY, MY SENIOR YEAR.
I BEGAN A COURSE IN ART THROUGH THE ART INSTITUTE THAT MY MOM AND DAD PAID FOR BUT DIDN'T GET TO FINISH MORE THAN 2 LESSONS BECAUSE MY NOW EX HUSBAND WOULD NOT LET ME . I MARRIED AT 17.
I DREW IN PENCIL AND INK BUT NOT MUCH ELSE FOR THE NEXT FEW YEARS. I DIVORCED AND REMARRIED IN 1973 AND MY NEW HUSBAND BEGAN TO RECOGNIZE THE ARTISTIC GIFT I HAD AND ENCOURAGED ME. HE LIKED WOODWORKING AND WE BEGAN TO COLLECT WOODWORKING TOOLS AND BUILT UP A WOODSHOP. I WAS PAINTING TOLE CRAFTS AND ROSEMALING AS WELL AS CERAMICS.
AFTER A FEW YEARS OF CRAFTING MY HUSBAND AND I DECIDED WE WOULD OPEN A BUSINESS IN TOWN. KIDD'S TOLE 'N' CRAFT SUPPLY AND HAD A PLETHORA OF CRAFTS FOR THE CONSUMER.
I HAD PEOPLE REQUEST PAINTING CLASSES AND DECIDED TO TEACH PAINTING. SOON I WAS ASKED TO TEACH FOR THE COLLEGE IN NIGHT CLASSES. I TAUGHT TWO SEMESTERS OF OILS AND TOLE PAINTING. ONE OF THE SUPERVISORS DECIDED THE COLLEGE SHOULD HAVE CERTIFIED INSTRUCTORS BECAUSE SHE DIDN'T LIKE ME AND KNEW I COULDN'T AFFORD CERTIFICATION CLASSES, CONSEQUENTLY MY CLASSES WERE DISCONTINUED. I HAD 30 STUDENTS TO A CLASS AND THEY WERE GREAT STUDENTS, MOSTLY SENIORS.
I TAUGHT MORE CLASSES IN MY SHOP AND AFTER THREE YEARS I COULD NO LONGER RUN THE SHOP AND KEEP UP WITH MY TEENAGE DAUGHTER SO WE DECIDED TO CLOSE THE SHOP AND I'D STAY HOME AND PAINT.
I CONTINUED TO PRACTICE MY PAINTING WITH BOB ROSS VIDEOS AND IN 1996 WE MOVED TO CENTRALIA AND OPENED PAPA MURPHYS PIZZA AND MY PAINTING WENT ON HOLD.
MY PASSION TO PAINT BEGAN TO GROW IN 2006.
IN 2007 I BEGAN PAINTING WHEN I FOUND MY CHURCH PASTOR, HIS WIFE AND THE WORSHIP LEADER WANTED TO INCORPORATE ALL THE ARTS IN WORSHIP. I OFFERED A PAINTING COURSE OF 6 WEEKS TEACHING PROPHETIC PAINTING, TRYING TO ENCOURAGE PEOPLE WHO WOULD LIKE TO CREATE DURING WORSHIP. AFTER THE 6 WEEK CLASS I BEGAN PAINTING. AFTER ABOUT 5 MONTHS OUR PASTOR OFFERED ME TO PAINT DURING WORSHIP AND I PAINTED FOR ABOUT 9 OR MORE MONTHS BUT BECAUSE OUR CHURCH WAS IN TRANSITION AND I HAD ILLNESS I COULD NO LONGER PAINT.
MEANWHILE I'VE GOT A SPACE SET UP AT HOME SO I CAN RETURN TO PAINTING ONCE MORE. I'M VERY EXCITED TO GET BACK TO PAINTING.
ART CLASS
SET UP A ART CLASS FOR 6 OR MORE PEOPLE / EXPERIENCE BREAKTHROUGH FROM FEAR AND INTIMIDATION. YOU CAN PAINT IT.
SCHEDULE LAURIE FOR YOUR EVENT
LAURIE WILL PAINT AS YOUR GUEST DURING YOUR CHURCH SERVICE OR OTHER EVENT. EMAIL HER FOR MORE INFORMATION.
RETREAT
LAURIE WILL COME AS A GUEST TO LEAD A SEMINAR IN PROPHETIC ART WORSHIP TO HELP ALL LEVEL OF ARTISTS ENJOY A TIME OF WORSHIP EXERCISING THEIR GIFTS.
