What makes THIS artist tick (welcome to my blog!)

WELCOME, fellow creatives, friends & family, new-comers & the curious!

OK, why is this blog worth your time? Well, because each artist is unique and has a personal vision/message to portray through our work and being a full time artist, I strive to share my art with the world; I hope it will make you think, discuss and FEEL something!!

Some fun facts about me:
1. I’ve been an artist all my life and made the leap to full time in 2008 after the economy tanked and I was laid off from both of my jobs…I then knew it was time to go for it and it’s the best decision I ever made! My career has really taken off now that I have all the time I need to devote to it.

2. Now this may surprise you but I have CRAZY LONG real fingernails…on both hands…and they do NOT impair my ability to draw, paint, take photos, work on the computer…in fact not only have I used them in my work but so have other artists as well! I’ve been photographed and interviewed by writers, bloggers and artists in the US, UK & Greece! And I’ve met some amazing people and had some cool experiences (like appearing in Coney Island’s “Convention of Curious People”) due to these unique appendages! Approx. 15″ & counting…

3. I follow an Earth/Nature-centered spiritual path and much of my artwork revolves around the beliefs and mythologies that compose this path. I enjoy traveling as well as studying other cultures, their myths & stories…to me, there are so many similarities between various cultures that are just expressed in different ways and this is what should bring us together as well as make us appreciate our differences! Painting goddesses, myths, symbols and things of this nature is my way of sharing what I’ve learned in the hopes that it will open people’s minds to other possibilities.

4. I’m an “old-school goth”! Since I was a teenager (a while ago!) I’ve been involved with the often mis-understood gothic culture of music, art, socializing…and despite our appreciation for the darker side of things, I’ve found that most people in this sub-culture are creative, intelligent, sensitive, open-minded and are huge supporters of human & animal rights as well as environmental protection! We just have a unique twist on life!

5. It was my dad, starting when I was very young, that 1st taught me to draw and I knew for sure, as of 7th grade, that I wanted to be a professional artist. It’s a difficult path but I wouldn’t trade it for the world! Nothing makes me happier than when someone expresses appreciation for my work, especially when they lay down their hard-earned money to own something I’ve created! It doesn’t matter if it’s a $3 greeting card, a $20 T-shirt, a $75 photograph or a $900 oil painting (ALL are available so just ask!! 😉 ). Each purchase or positive feedback or award or exhibit acceptance is nourishment to the artist & I greatly appreciate everyone who has supported me in any way to enable me to pursue my artistic dream!

OK, so now you know some fun facts about yours truly. I hope you’ll continue to read my blogs, visit my websites (& maybe even purchase something!), share my links and leave comments. Your feedback is very valuable and so is your word of mouth, so THANK YOU for subscribing & reading. I look forward to hearing from you soon!

And now for some biographical information about my career:

I was graduated with a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree from Mason Gross School of the Arts (Rutgers University) in 1988, and have since been selling my work throughout the U.S. and in Europe.  I have participated in over 90 solo, juried & group exhibitions, and am a member of several NJ Arts organizations.
My work is shown in galleries, Holistic & Crafter Expos,  health centers, & was accepted for a solo exhibit at Johnson & Johnson World Headquarters.
The various media I work with include oils, acrylics, pen & ink, watercolor, pencil, charcoals and photography, along with a working knowledge of Photoshop.  I have been commissioned to create a wide range of artwork, including historical illustrations, pet portraits, paintings,  graphics and designs for crafter & greeting card companies.  My illustrations, photographs and poetry have appeared in national & international printed & on-line publications.  I enjoy the challenge of creating pieces to meet my client’s needs, as well as my own self-expressive fine artworks.  Please feel free to contact me with any questions, or for further information.   My websites are

http://laurencurtisart.weebly.com  (NEW fine art site!)
https://laurencurtis.wordpress.com  (my Blog)                               
http://www.facebook.com/LaurenCurtisArtTalonArt (Facebook Fine Art Page)
http://www.LaurenCurtisArt.com (commercial & fine art) 
http://laurencurtis.imagekind.com/ (cards, T-shirts, photography, illustration)
https://twitter.com/LaurenCurtisArt (now on Twitter)
Thank you for visiting my websites!