A Decade of Art
The end of this year will mark one decade as an artist. Over these last ten years I can confirm that I created a lot of work—some really great pieces, and some not so great pieces. Exploring my work taught me a lot about myself, those around me, and this planet, Earth.
I am always struck with this moment of surprise when I look through my portfolio of work. I get a little overwhelmed with just how much work I created over the last few years. There is a culmination of passion and dedication, something I tend to forget day-to-day. I can remember every detail of each piece and the energy that flowed through me. Together, they create who I am as an artist today.
2010
I had an in-cling I wanted to attend college for art. At that time, I didn’t know what that meant or the career it could lead me to. I felt fear and hesitation, but I was always encouraged to follow my passion.
2011
In my first year of college, I found a love for drawing in my foundations class. I was enamored by perspective and capturing physical realms with simple drawing tools.
2012
I built a love for the environment very quickly after entering college. I became deeply inspired by my travels out west, where I would spend time visiting my brother and soaking in the vast landscape where it felt like ideas lived on forever.
2013
After finishing my foundation classes, I started to dig deeper into the meaning of landscapes. My immediate surroundings in the city of Philadelphia felt made up - like a dream - a space built. This first piece will always be really special to me. It marked my exploration into the environment. It planted the seed for all my ideas that would soon grow into my thesis.
2014
From there I took off with ideas. I explored the landscapes around me — all of them — illustrating them in any and every way I thought possible, exploring mediums like painting, drawing, photography, and printmaking.
Printmaking opened my eyes to so many possibilities. The process stuck with me. It gave me the opportunity to grow, build skills, and discover a new way to think about my work
2015
All this work culminated in my thesis. I shared ideas about the built environment and my perspective of landscapes. Up to this point, I immersed myself in reading and writing. I loved balancing my work with two other disciplines I had a passion for. Research became a big part of my process.
2016
After graduating with a BFA in Fine Arts and minor in Business, my work kept pursuing me. I started to draw mountains, stoic figures, records of the moving Earth.
Lauren Sauder - A Decade of Art
2017
I began to experiment with ideas about the word landscapes and structures. I used watercolor as a tool to explore those ideas, painting organic shapes and drawing fine lines to represent both.
2018
The land kept calling to me. The more I found myself in it, the more I remembered my inclination to make materials directly from the Earth. I wanted to find this iron color. I wanted it to be a part of my practice. This curiosity brought me so close to Earth. I’ve never felt watercolor paint so alive, so luxurious, and so pure.
Lauren Sauder - A Decade of Art
Lauren Sauder - A Decade of Art
2019
Earth color is all around me, always. It radiates throughout my studio. It vibrates at its own currency. I see the landscape in new ways — once again. It forms shapes, light, reflections, flowing one way and moving the other. This year, for the first time, I also committed to a 100 day project. It opened my eyes to so many things, including discipline and how to live in a studio practice.
Lauren Sauder - A Decade of Art
Lauren Sauder - A Decade of Art
2020
I am most excited for the years to come. I look forward to experimenting further with drawing sticks made from Earth pigments. I know this body of work will continue to grow, and help bring me closer to the things I love in life.
Lauren Sauder - A Decade of Art
Lauren Sauder - A Decade of Art