About the Artist
Laura Jaen Smith is an artist from the Finger Lakes Region of New York
who is inspired by observing the beauty she sees around her.
Her art explores the fragility and endurance of nature.
I am an artist who is inspired by observing the beauty I see around me. My art explores the fragility and endurance of nature. Through my art I capture small moments in nature that might otherwise be overlooked. I explore my own connection to nature and how in a busy, ever-changing environment there are still places to find tranquility nearby.
While creating my current body of work I reflected on how nature is changed – both through the natural progression of time and with outside influences. The drawings in this series, show nearby locations where the water has washed away the soil from beneath the trees’ roots over time. While the water has receded, the roots underneath are left exposed.
Each drawing started with a photograph that I took on location while hiking nearby nature areas. I created them with ink pens on paper, first outlining each of the main elements and then crosshatching to shade in an intuitive way. I finalized each drawing with white and silver gel pen to highlight and add emphasis to specific features throughout the work.
The places I find most interesting tend to be hidden, underappreciated, or overlooked.
My recent Sketchy Trees Series is a collection of detailed ink drawings featuring tree roots and rocks.
I'm constantly stopping to take photos everywhere I go with the idea that they will later become art.
My drawings begin with a simple free-hand outline of the main shapes in ink and pen and then I crosshatch to shade in a loose intuititve way. I then deepen the shadows and add highlights with white gel pen to add emphasis to spefici features through the work.
A take away I hope people get from my art is how in a busy, ever-changing environment there are still places to find beauty and tranquility nearby. I also hope it inspires others to explore their own connection to nature.
Credentials
Memberships
Community Arts of Elmira
(Elmira, New York)
Oct 2014-Present
The ARTS of the Southern Finger Lakes
(Corning, New York)
Oct 2015-Present
Tioga Arts Council
(Owego, New York)
Oct 2014-Oct 2015
Beliefs & Values
Kindness and fairness towards all people, animals, and our environment.
Minimizing my impact on the environment through the way I live and work.
Constantly being in a state of learning and growth, and helping others around me to do the same.
Always seeking to find the beauty that’s present around me.
Curriculum Vitae
View my CV for a list of past exhibitions and achievements.