Artist Spotlight: Lauren Williams
Lauren Williams has been popping up in designs feeds all over Instagram, she's become a go-to artist that designers work with to add unique one-of-a-kind art in clients homes.
I love visiting her Instagram feed to see behind the scenes videos which are as mesmerizing as they are inspiring!
Let's get to know Lauren Williams...
Tell me a bit about your journey, were you always an artist?
I’ve always had an interest in art and design but never pursued it until just a few years ago. Thankfully, I was able to explore artistic design through event production while living in Los Angeles after college. From designing Green Rooms backstage for talent, to Red Carpet arrivals and high-end celebrity events, I was introduced to many different forms of creative execution and problem solving, based on ideas and budget. While in LA, I met my husband James. We chose to step back from the entertainment industry and open our own yoga and spin studio in Silverlake, California. After having our first son, we decided that the fitness industry was not for us and our new family lifestyle. So, we left LA for Dallas (where I am from) and lived in various rental homes for the first few years as we “started over” professionally. One specific rental home had a dining room wall that was begging for a large piece of art. Unfortunately my budget for art and my taste for art did not align, so I took it upon myself to create something for the space. This is where the world of creating and selling artwork began for me.
As designers we see an evolution in our style and aesthetic, I assume the same holds true for artists. What was your evolution like? How has it evolved?
Over the last 5 years I have seen a very wide range in the evolution of my work. From never creating (outside of decorating my own home with thrifted accessories that I spray painted) to working consistently every day as a professional artist, you can imagine that my skills and techniques have grown exponentially! For the last five years, I’ve been blessed to call my garage an art studio. It started with me using one area of our three car garage as my “dye station” as I explored this new art form. I set up racks from Ikea to suspend my Canvas With Movement® tapestries and continually came up with creative solutions to execute my visions for new designs and techniques. Quickly I took over the entire garage as my studio and there are now five of us working in the garage/studio each day. I like to think of my experience as an artist as being a lot like the journey of a scientist… always problem solving and finding different methods to execute new concepts and ideas. That’s what the evolution of my work has been about- Coming up with new ways to work with gravity (as this is a key element in my process). If you look at my work and consider that the liquid dye will run downwards as the wool strands hang, you will understand the creativity required to come up with the dye designs that I’m introducing each month.
What is the message behind your art? What do you want people to take away or feel through your pieces?
I like to think of my tapestries as a canvas but with movement, which is how I trademark my brand. I suspend hundreds of individual wool strands and use dyes and paints to create different designs. From the way the fibers hang to the amount of dye each natural wool strand decides to absorb, my art is never the same and always unique.
I start with a vision, but as I work, the direction changes based on the fiber’s reaction to the paints and dyes. My biggest lesson over the years, as I have created various techniques in my exploration of this work, is that this form of art demands cooperation.
Although I begin with a plan, the fibers can have a mind of their own. I can fight it, or I can cooperate.
The more freedom I give each tapestry to come alive, the more beautiful the result is.
I love the process of letting go and watching something beautiful develop in my hands. Each piece is different no matter how much I would like to replicate a previous tapestry, and witnessing that on a daily basis is something I wish everyone could experience in seeing my work.
Did you ever have insecurities with sharing your work? If so how did you get over that?
There's definitely an element of fear and worry in sharing artwork with people. We live in such an interesting time using social media to market artwork on Instagram, compared to the traditional gallery showings. Because I can post an image of my work and not have to stand right next to it and see a person’s reaction in real life, I feel like I have been protected from the fear of immediate negative reactions. While negative comments can always appear under an Instagram post of my work, for the most part I receive encouraging comments. This however does not take away the creative process which includes complete doubt and fear that my work will not be accepted or appreciated. I have come to love the “creative process” though, and now understand that disliking my work only leads to a motivation to make it better, which is a trait I hope to never lose. Having faith that God has given me a talent to share, and seeing my business grow is what keeps me moving forward and grounded.
Having faith over fear pulls me through the big projects and commissions that sometimes intimidate me. This mindset also keeps me from comparing myself while creating, which can be a huge distraction.
Sometimes I come across a quote that speaks to my core so intensely I have to share it with others. Do you have a favourite quote that has touched you or pushed you in some way?
What's constantly in my mind and my heart is "have faith over fear." My favorite Bible verses are Matthew 6: 26-27: "Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your Heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life?"
What's been the toughest part about turning your passion/art into a business?
I think balancing the roles of artist and entrepreneur, has been the toughest part about building a business around my artwork. I want to create art, but I also want it to sell. Creating pure art means that I’m not concerned about it selling. That’s a tough line to walk sometimes.
Who are your favourite artists or influences and why?
I like to share the fiber art love, so I’ll start with
as an inspiration in taking fiber art and turning it into a long and successful career.
A few other favorite fiber artists are:
Five favourite things right now?
PAINTING! For me, creating fiber art has been such an adventure, and exploring a new medium feels so right and good… although I’m just dipping my toes into the process of finding my personal style with this medium, I’m loving every opportunity I have to work on a solid canvas, that doesn’t move. ;)
JUMPSUITS. I have two new jumpsuits that I love wearing while I work in the studio. I typically wear overalls, but having to only choose one piece of clothing in the morning when I head into the studio makes me very happy. Ha!
PILATES. I committed to working out in January. I often joke that I took a 10 year “break” after selling our yoga studio in 2010, but I’m back at it and it feels really nice to consistently make myself stronger.
WEEKEND MOVIE NIGHTS. Our boys are at the age where they can sit and watch an entire movie, and so we have fallen into the glorious habit of Friday movie nights, complete with homemade pizzas and popcorn. This family activity after a long week working in the studio is my favourite thing to do as a family, right now!
CHOCOLATE. Favourite right now, and forever.
