Lauren Moss is an Austin-area Mixed Media Artist. I have had the privilege to meet her and experience her art live. She is in the beginning years of her career as an artist. Lauren is strongly predisposed to drawing and she creates first and foremost in graphite. Colored pencils, paint and printmaking inks are also mainstays in her art. She bases her artworks on stories from her own life and these are easy to relate to. I am pleased to be able to publish this interview to share Lauren's perspective with more people who may find that they also resonate with her art on some level(s).
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| Artist, Lauren Moss at Art Show in Austin, TX |
I have always thought of myself as an artist but truly fought against myself in the full embodiment of the concept. It wasn't until after having my daughter and some much needed soul searching that I finally accepted the terminology as being the title that I should hold and use. It was after the move down to Central Texas that I seriously started pursuing my career as an Artist.
Tell me about your first experience creating art:
The first time I began to create art was monumental. I literally lost all sense of time and space and became one with the inspirational muse that flowed through me. It was incredible and awe inspiring and in that particular moment I fell hard, head over heels in love with the experience.
Why mixed media?
I love the fact that mixed media marries all of my favorite mediums into a flexible fun way to create. I do not have to stick to one area of expertise to create art, I can combine three or more areas into a piece to have a coherent and flowing space.
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| Pelvic Thrust © Lauren Moss |
How do you define your style of art, and how does it stand apart from other established styles?
My style is very different from those I have studied in college and afterwards. It hearkens back to my college era when a friend and I were beginning to work on a new art manifesto termed Modern Feminist Roundism which to paraphrase, it is the transition seen more in art in the past eight years, where more curved lines and subtle feminine qualities are seen juxtaposed to hard masculine angles. I have taken our manifesto and paired it with anatomical and physiological imagery which I deem pertinent at the time.
What exposure have you had as an artist?
I am a RAW Artist and have done two showcases this year. I also have been doing the Sketchbook Project for the past three years, in which one of my sketch pages was published in Sketchbook Project’s Pictures and Descriptions Volume IV. I have had a couple of photographs take awards in the Sprint Competitions in 2013.
How do you promote your art both on and off the internet?
I am constantly looking at open calls for artists both locally and nationally. I also have several websites, as well as membership in local arts guilds. I work continuously with local artists and find out what media they use to promote their art as well. I always have my cards with me and always hand them out daily to whoever I can.
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| Broken Column © Lauren Moss |
What is the most surprising reaction you have experienced with your art?
The most shocking reaction was the reaction of an middle-aged man that had come to support his son, which set up right next to me, at my first RAW Artist Showcase. I noticed that his father kept coming over to my area and spending a fair amount of time looking at different pieces and standing or sitting in front of them. Then he actually started crying and sobbing. Finally he came over and admitted that every time he looked at my art he found new, deeper meaning which transcended him and his emotions to a new level and finally he could not control his emotions and erupted into tears. This is something I myself have felt while standing in front of Mondrian, Picasso, Tintoretto, El Greco, and a few others. However, I never imagined my art having the same impact upon someone and I myself granted the opportunity to be witness to such a beautiful event.
Do you have any regrets in your life as an artist?
Up until six months ago, yes. I regretted not being able to pursue my career due to the area we lived in. I regretted not being able to further myself through the connections, though limited in the region where I am from. However, since the move I no longer regret those areas in my life. I feel completely at peace as to where I am now and I feel happier here.
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| Eye Spy © Lauren Moss |
What do you have planned for the future of your art?
I have lots of ideas for the future of my art. I definitely see the series that I am currently working on turning on its head and going on black paper and almost doing a antithesis look than what it is right now. I also see a new series of catharsis drawings that will be beginning soon dealing with animals and I am also looking into delving into the realm of 3D with Munny and Foomi vinyl collectibles.
Do you have any advice for new artists?
Don’t be afraid to put yourself out there. Ask local galleries, put your business cards and such in their hands, ask other local artists about any open calls and invitations to artists. Make connections weekly and grow your artistic network. And do not be afraid of criticism. Criticism on most levels can help you improve your art, your skills, your communication, as long as its constructive and not destructive.
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| Hearing Loss © Lauren Moss |
Tell me something about you and your art very few people know about:
When I need to get out of a rut in creating art, I switch gears and draw fantasy art. In fact last year at a community college, I taught a summer camp that delved into the world of fantasy art from conception to the moment your finish your piece on paper. I find that switching genres in art helps to make breakthroughs for me easily, than staying on the path of the same style for endless hours without a payoff in sight.
Is there anything else you would like us to know about?
One medium I am thinking about revisiting is the area of Book Arts. I have done several book art sculptures in the past and I am tentatively thinking about combining the work I have done thus far with book art.
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| Rusted Cage © Lauren Moss |
How should people find you online….
- Main Website
- RAW Artist Profile
- Licensed Prints on Society6
- Twitter: @ ArtLaurenmoss
- Facebook Page
- Google+
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