I first meet abstract artist Lauren Mycroft when she opens the door to her home with her eight-month-old son on her hip. He stares wide-eyed at me as she welcomes me in.

害羞草研究所淗e just woke up,害羞草研究所� she says with a smile, smoothing down his bedhead. Babe is soon bundled into a backpack and sent out into the yard with dad to take care of the ever-growing piles of leaves carpeting the grass, and Lauren leads me into her studio. It害羞草研究所檚 a new space for her, she tells me; they just bought the 130-year-old farmhouse this past summer.

The farmhouse may still have a hint of that just-moved-in vibe, but Lauren fits well in her high-ceilinged studio, and it in turn is infused with her. A stack of finished and in-progress canvases leans against the back wall; the floor is a glorious spatter of paint in myriad hues. Glass jars full of well-loved brushes line the fireplace mantel like bouquets of wildflowers.

As someone looking in, it害羞草研究所檚 easy to assume she害羞草研究所檚 always been at home as a painter. But for much of her early life, she knew she had a creative streak, but was never quite sure where it fit.

Lauren attended art school 害羞草研究所� studying both at and 害羞草研究所� but it wasn害羞草研究所檛 until well after she害羞草研究所檇 graduated that she found her niche. Much of her time in school was spent just learning to paint, she says, with plenty of figurative and landscape pieces, and her last year was particularly difficult as she tried to find her place.

With a close family member害羞草研究所檚 illness and other struggles in her personal life, Lauren had a hard time with the sometimes harsh, daily critiques and high-energy demands of school. She took a break from painting for a few years after graduating, and it wasn害羞草研究所檛 until she did an abstract collage class that everything fell back into place.

害羞草研究所淚t just clicked,害羞草研究所� she says. 害羞草研究所淚 felt like, this is what I害羞草研究所檓 supposed to be doing.害羞草研究所�

Then a close friend who was an interior designer commissioned her to do two pieces, and 害羞草研究所渢hat害羞草研究所檚 where it all started.害羞草研究所� She balanced her day job 害羞草研究所� as a career advisor in the mental health field 害羞草研究所� with her art, but soon found herself inundated with commissions. Looking at her body of work, it害羞草研究所檚 not hard to imagine why her pieces were in demand. There害羞草研究所檚 a fluidity to them that害羞草研究所檚 incredibly appealing, as is the way she harmonizes colours.

Her website describes her painting as 害羞草研究所渁bstract works [that] reference organic shapes using complex layers and staining,害羞草研究所� using a 害羞草研究所渃ontemporary palette and methodical layering technique.害羞草研究所�

Each piece develops almost as a dialogue between Lauren and the paints and dyes, with each mark influencing the one that comes after, until a complex and textured whole emerges.

害羞草研究所淚t害羞草研究所檚 very process driven害羞草研究所� she says. 害羞草研究所淚t害羞草研究所檚 very reactionary. It really forces you to let go.害羞草研究所�

A trio of linen-based works leaning against the studio害羞草研究所檚 far wall catch my eye. Striking combinations of magenta, a rich peacock green-blue and splashes of sepia stand out. Linen offers its own challenges compared to canvas, says Lauren. The palette has to complement the darker background (as opposed to working on white), the linen finish has a different relationship with the paints and dyes and it害羞草研究所檚 riskier. If the process doesn害羞草研究所檛 yield an end result Lauren害羞草研究所檚 happy with, there害羞草研究所檚 no painting over and starting from scratch.

These particular pieces are also much smaller than Lauren害羞草研究所檚 usual, which is why she害羞草研究所檚 been working on them.

害羞草研究所淚 never paint small, so I害羞草研究所檝e been trying to do as many small pieces as I can,害羞草研究所� she says.

Her determination to keep her skills fresh and stretch outside her comfort zone is evident.

Becoming a mom has kept her on her toes artistically as well, in that she害羞草研究所檚 had to redefine how she approaches her studio schedule.

害羞草研究所淚 really find I害羞草研究所檓 a lot more efficient with my time since I had him,害羞草研究所� says Lauren, who makes time in the evenings to work, and has someone come once a week for child minding. 害羞草研究所淚 love my time with him, and I love being in my studio.害羞草研究所�

Finding her way back to art through abstract painting helped lead Lauren to where she is now, a new mom, in a new home, with a renewed commitment to full-time art, and she害羞草研究所檚 found a balance point between it all.

害羞草研究所淚 think if someone had asked me 10 years ago what I wanted my life to be, I害羞草研究所檇 have said I want to live in a really old house, with someone I love, [with] my child, my two dogs and with a great studio space,害羞草研究所� she says.

Her art has also helped her transform her inner critic into something constructive.

害羞草研究所淚f you害羞草研究所檙e a creative person, you probably have an unkind voice in your head,害羞草研究所� she says with a laugh. 害羞草研究所淚t害羞草研究所檚 hard when someone doesn害羞草研究所檛 like a painting, but it害羞草研究所檚 harder when I don害羞草研究所檛. I just remind myself it害羞草研究所檚 a process. It害羞草研究所檚 being ok with the piece when it takes a different direction.害羞草研究所�

害羞草研究所淚害羞草研究所檝e learned a lot about myself through painting abstractly,害羞草研究所� she adds: about her ability to let go of the end result, about the need to control the critic that害羞草研究所檚 within all of us, of wanting things to look a particular way.

害羞草研究所淎lthough it害羞草研究所檚 my passion, painting has not always been an easy path for me; there害羞草研究所檚 nothing that gives me as much anxiety and pure joy at the same time.害羞草研究所�

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- Story by Angela Cowan

Story courtesy of , a Black Press Media publication
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