Today we’d like to introduce you to Lauren Dunn.
Lauren, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
I’ve been a full-time artist for over 17 years now and creating art is one of the biggest joys and blessings of my life. Through the last few years of my business’s growth, I felt a little “nudge” to expand my art business while acknowledging my personal limits. I wanted to build a brand based off of my years of work as a visual artist and I wanted that brand to be a direct reflection of my life’s work and my life values. I wanted to create a line of reproductions and home decor that was thoughtful, fresh, and innovative while incorporating the very characteristics of my work that makes it recognizable. After much trial and error, we were confident and excited that we had nailed down our vision. So, in July of 2021, we launched the product line of Lauren Dunn Designs. We’ve been absolutely amazed at the support we’ve received since that day and we truly believe that the sky’s the limit!
I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle free, but so far would you say the journey have been a fairly smooth road?
Building a brand and a business from the ground up is definitely not easy or for the faint of heart. It takes guts, perseverance, a strong work ethic and a “can do” attitude. It’s been incredibly rewarding and incredibly challenging. The biggest struggle for me is asking for help and accepting that I can no longer manage it all by myself. I’m a perfectionist when it comes to my work which I used to wear as a badge of honor but now recognize as my biggest hurdle. I’m not the best person for the job in so many areas of the business. Learning to let that go so that the business can grow is what I’m working on now.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
As an artist raised in the deep South, I enjoy transforming the simple beauty and rich heritage that abounded in the Mississippi delta of my youth into visual form. Using a palette knife to create layer upon layer of color, I work organically to achieve a loose representation of my subject matter reminiscent of the aged buildings and chipped paint of generations past but with modern appeal. Vibrant color schemes and textured strokes transform ordinary moments into cherished memories. I want to elevate everyday life – an old church, freshly cut hydrangeas, a lovely view – that is the heart of my work and what makes it recognizable. My work has been featured several times in HGTV’s Hometown and HGTV’s Property Brothers as well as Traditional Home Magazine, The Cottage Journal Magazine, Nashville Magazine and other publications.
Is there something surprising that you feel even people who know you might not know about?
Oh goodness, there’s so much but I think I’d like to mention the biggest blessings in my life, my family. They are rarely mentioned in my social media feeds or known by too many of my client but I have the best family and I’m so thankful for them. My husband, Nathan, is my rock. He’s such an integral part of everything that I do. He’s my biggest cheerleader, my best friend and my soft place to land. He pretty much builds any and everything I need and is the behind-the-scenes guy of every show I do. I would not be where I am without him. Nathan and I have two teenage boys, Stratton and Parks. It has been my greatest gift to watch them grow into the men they are becoming. They are awesome young men with such unique gifts and personalities. They are my everything!
Contact Info:
- Website: https://laurendunn.co/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/laurendunnartist/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LaurenDunnDesigns
Image Credits
Mary Craven Photography
