Today we’d like to introduce you to Reginald Laurent.
Hi Reginald, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
My art journey has been amazing! Through art I have been able to forge a career that encompasses creating amazing art and educating children all around the world with my Zoom sessions.
I didn’t go to school for art, and my initial foray into art started when I relocated from Chicago to Atlanta and saw my first Fall in Atlanta. I started painting landscapes and a few years later I discovered my dormant abstract voice. The art I discovered within me was an exaggeration of doodles I created as child, and this style is known as my DNA series. This is the style of art I teach and is the foundation for all of my creati0ns.
I am an abstract artist at heart and by design. The foundation of my work is geometric and organic shapes, which is the basis for all art genres.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
One of the challenges I encountered as an artist was finding my true artistic voice. It’s easy to be enamored by the works of other artists and try to emulate their style. Even today there is a large degree of “sameness” in many of the works I see posted across social media. It’s difficult to be an artist of note these days, and I have managed to find my space where my work is known and respected.
My unique artistic voice dates back to my childhood doodles. My art was destined to be what it is early in my career, but there’s no way I could have foreseen that. Becoming an artist for me has been a long process, and I had to connect all of the dots later in life to figure out exactly how my career has manifested over the years to become what it is today.
If I had taken all of the advice I received over the years, I would be a confused artist creating someone else’s vision. My success is due to my ability to create what I want, regardless of any external criticism or critique. I have learned to self-navigate all of my processes as I have seen my work mature from basic doodles to paintings to the 3D wooden assemblages I am now creating.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
I create a wide variety of mixed media works, but I am mostly creating wooden assemblages right now. All of my work derives from my DNA series, and I am just finding new mediums and techniques to create these works in a 3D format. Wood is my main medium right now, but I am also adding ancillary pieces like metal, resin etc.
My objective is to take the viewer on a visual journey and give them something that takes a long time to digest. My art is not fast food; it’s a visual buffet where every colorful morsel is noticed, and my job is to serve a plate full of color and energy.
I often said that I was in the “dessert” stage of my life because I am retired form corporate America, and I get to create every day. However, I have discovered that I am in the appetizer stage, and the best art, or my main course, is yet to come. My journey gets better and better as I explore new mediums and discover ways to take my work to another level.
I also recently formed a partnership with Woodpecker’s Crafts, and they have created my own designer line of organic wood pieces, slated for marketing in early August. This will allow me to create another avenue of learning for children and teachers all across the world.
I also recently shipped four new works to a children’s hospital in Boston. My art speaks to children, so knowing that they will view my art is a joy!
I am also the feature speaker for The Art of education University’s NOW conference for teachers on August 4, 2024.
So maybe we end on discussing what matters most to you and why?
The most important thing about my art journey is the legacy of children who have been exposed to my art. By far, this is the part of my journey that means the most to me. It’s not about the physical paintings I will leave behind, museums or collections that may have my work. It’s the knowledge, inspiration and motivation I have instilled in children that will pay dividends long after I am gone.
My zoom sessions with schools all over the world feeds my soul in a way that no art acquisition can. This is my true calling through art, and how God planned to utilize my gift. It’s not about money or notoriety. I believe I am leaving something in people, and that will ultimately matter more than anything monetary.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.laurentoriginals.com
- Instagram: www.instagram.com/laurentoriginals/
- Facebook: www.reginaldlaurent.com/facebook/
- Other: www.laurentoriginals.com/facebook
Image Credits
Personal photo credit-Marie Thomas- All other photos by artist
