A Brief History

It seems like I've told this story, in bits and pieces, a million times. But lets say you've never heard it all and make it a million and one.

I am an artist, I am moved by color, the motion of paint filled brushes across canvas, it is my obsession and my passion, and I am about 4 or 5. (please see above photo). That's the time I remember developing my interest in drawing and coloring outside of the average childhood curiosities. I was inspired by the excellently illustrated children's books that I would devour and get lost in. They filled my imagination with new visualizations of my favorite characters and brought me to places I hadn't known existed yet. Luckily, my family was in on it. My father, Joe, was a professional artist and musician who supported our family with his art and with the help of his partner in life and business, my mom Melody. Together they planned for his art shows, near and far, and even as young children my brother and I were included in the family business. I grew up attending fine arts festivals and gallery events ranging from south Florida to northern Maine and everywhere in between. I have had the incredible benefit of exposure to an amazing array of artwork styles and genres as well as professional artists through my early years because of these events and have come to know many of them as a second family. Artists and also early customers of my dad's that I enjoy seeing even still at the art shows that I now attend with my own work. Back towards the beginning, my dad's painting studio was a part of our home, moving from the garage, to the spare room, to the den, and since he worked from home, and I was home schooled, there was a lot of room for crossover. I would watch him work, sometimes "helping" at his feet or drawing on his paint cart, or when I was older into my teens mixing his paints and helping put together stretchers and prints. Anytime I wanted to create the materials were always made available, and remained that way. I was encouraged but not pushed, guided but not decided for.  He would every once in a while nudge me with one of his "lines" saying I was "the next generation artist"...if I wanted to be. And even though there was a brief period of time, somewhere between age 13-15, where I was sure I never wanted to see another art show again, that particular rebellion passed and I was driven to follow in my dad's footsteps (which were immense by the way). So I would create paintings that would eventually be showcased at events throughout Florida. I am typing this now in my 6th year of being a professional artist, in that I create and sell my artwork on a full time basis, and what an incredible profession it is! I consider myself very blessed to have had the background that I did, and I enjoy most the lesson that - to be an artist is to always be learning, and to remember that comparison is often the thief of joy. When I create a painting it is both a piece of my history and my future, and only ever in competition with myself. I hope to be able to continue to grow and follow this adventure for some time, and I hope that you can enjoy with me along the way. 

- Sarah LaPierre, a painter.