Laura Loe Oil Paintings

A painting of my apartment in 1993. Working two jobs and trying to figure it all out. I still have this.

I am a Shreveport, Louisiana, native living and working in Richmond, Virginia. I have been in Richmond, Virginia since 1991 and have been a professional oil painter since 1996. Life as a working artist has been shared with my husband, Will, and my three children. It makes for a busy life to have so many things I care about and want to devote time towards but I woudn’t change a thing. A decade teaching oil painting at the Virginia Museum Studio School and running and then buying the Nimrod Hall Artist Program boosted my love of other artists, Richmonders and Virginians in general, and honestly really has helped define my career as a working professional artist since 1997. I feel pretty lucky.

I am a self described, exaggerated colorist, who paints both representational and abstractly. I have learned to accept that the style of any painter is a little mysterious with a lot of faith being put toward just accepting what you are given and not try to paint anyway that feels anything less than comfortable to you. I never set out to paint this particular way, I just do. I spent years wondering why I paint this way, sometimes trying to alter my approach (I think that is human nature-if it comes naturally we better question it) but now I have embraced it more and question it less. Because, why not? I am the only one who can paint my paintings. For non artists I would compare it to getting old enough to simply accept you aren't getting any taller in this life, instead of looking in the mirror and wondering why you are so short.

In other words: it is what it is. Getting older is not great in most ways but it definitely is as an artist. Experience matters with painters.

The only regret with seeing art on a computer is that so much of what makes oil paintings so unique and amazing is the actual way the painting LOOKS on the surface. Paint pulls across the canvas or panel for the surface to become as much a player in the piece as the color or subject matter. With my work, if you like the image without seeing the actual piece you will find the real piece to be much more lush and the paint surface itself making the painting feel even more cohesive.

For a look at my resume of shows, awards, and that kind of thing please see my Art CV.