Art Archive Featured Artist: Laurie McNee

Meet Laurie McNee. Lori's vibrant work reflects her state of mind. A moment with an injured hummingbird during her childhood in Arizona left an indelible mark on her style. She wants to convey a sense of serenity in her paintings, often expressed through birds. Her studio reflects this alluring mood. And although she works in a variety of areas, Laurie tries to find a common thread that ties her parts together.

We spoke with Laurie about the importance of starting with a signature style and why maintaining an attachment to his art can prevent him from finding a good home.

Want to see more of Lori's work? Visit and.

Do you want to draw and explore social networks in France? Join Lori in September! To learn more .

1. GLOWING, UNLIMITED IMAGES OF BIRDS AND LANDSCAPE IN YOUR IMAGE. WHERE DO YOU FIND INSPIRATION AND WHY DO YOU DRAW LIKE THIS?

Thank you, this is what I strive to convey in my work. I want to convey a serene atmosphere. As for my inspiration, I am drawn to paint light, whether it is a still life or a landscape. Light is very important. I want my work to glow from within and be a window into the imagination. In a world filled with chaos, I want my paintings to be relaxing for the viewer. I see my paintings as a quiet place from the negative images in the news. There are many other genres that want to disturb the audience or cause not very positive emotions. I want the audience to have positive emotions from my work.

"I would like to draw like a bird sings." One of Laurie Monet's favorite quotes.

Whether I paint a still life or a landscape, I am inspired by the Dutch masters. Still life echoes the delicate balance between nature and man. Many of my still life paintings include birds or butterflies. I have always loved birds. I lived in Scottsdale, Arizona for 12 years in what used to be an orange grove area. They flooded the lawn once a week to water it. When the water receded, all these magnificent birds flew into the courtyard: cardinals, hummingbirds and sparrows of all stripes. When I was a little girl, I treated injured birds. I took some to an older woman we called Lady Bird. She had a place for rehabilitation at home, and she helped injured birds return to the wild. One day I saw a small hummingbird resting on flowers at her house. He had a broken wing. It left an indelible memory in my brain.

When I returned to Arizona years later, I remembered the hummingbird, and it all came together, why I paint like this. Man-made objects in my still lifes symbolize the human aspect, and animals - nature. I liked living in Arizona. I am very interested in ancient cultures and I grew up around Native American culture. This is a huge impact. In my youth, I loved to walk through the ruins and look for shards of pottery. And I have always loved being in nature.

2. YOU WORK IN DIFFERENT MEDIA AND OBJECTS. HOW DO YOU TAKE THE DIRECTION OF EACH PAINTING (ie encaustic or oil)?

I have many interests. It was difficult for me, as a beginner painter, to decide what I would paint, why and how. It's important for artists to develop a recognizable brand identity, especially early in the journey so that people can recognize your work. It's okay to expand once you become more established. Last month I had a big show and I showed all my disciplines together. I had a similar theme running through all the works. All of them were decorated in the same way, had the same color palette and a similar plot. This united the collection of various mediums into a single whole.

I might be inspired by a particular vase, vessel, or interesting subject for my still lifes. It helps me decide what to draw. For example, a black and white titmouse can inspire the direction of a painting. I am inspired by colors, patterns or moods. In landscapes, I am especially inspired by the mood I want to portray. I draw inspiration from the mountains where I live in Idaho. I like to get out into nature, it gives endless inspiration. At a basic level, it all comes down to supply and demand. From time to time, the gallery runs out of a certain type of painting and requests certain views. I become a victim of supply and demand.

I love encaustic because it is very liberating and gives me a lot of pleasure. Wax has its own opinion. I lose control more and I like that in encaustic. Oil allows me to better control the situation. It's a metaphor for where I am in life. I need to try to let go of the situation and stop controlling the situation. I enjoy an environment that reflects my state of mind. I add cold wax to oils, and it turns out such a cool texture that until recently I could not achieve. I used to like beautiful, transparent glazes. They made my work look like stained glass personally. As my life becomes more textured, so does my work. I believe that my work is a reflection of what is happening in my life.

3. WHAT IS UNIQUE IN YOUR STUDIO SPACE OR CREATIVE PROCESS?

I usually do a few things that set me up for drawing and let my creativity run wild. I love the sound of running water. I plug in my sound machine and get sound. I also like to drink big green tea. I listen to classical music and NPR. It has been scientifically proven that classical music makes people smarter. I like to have intelligent background noise, it makes me want to draw. Sometimes I jump in and tweet a little or reply to blog comments and then get back to painting.

I recently redecorated my studio. I have plywood floors and they are blunt. I painted them sky blue. It's amazing to spend a day or a weekend cleaning and organizing. Now my studio is very cheerful and hospitable. I have a big studio tour ahead of me so I'm really glad I did it.

Sometimes I burn incense, especially in winter. I leave French doors open in the summer. I have beautiful gardens and outdoor bird feeders - I take a lot of bird photos. It snows in winter and it can be stuffy in a closed studio. I burn essential oils like jasmine and orange for whatever mood I'm in. It brings me nature inside.

4. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE JOB AND WHY?

I try not to get too attached to individual works. I love painting, I love the process, every brushstroke and color. When I finish a painting, I want to vigorously let it go because I want it to find a good home. I want my work to be out there in the world. And I want to draw more. If there is too much work in my house, then I know that I do not want to continue. I have the main paintings at home. These are the ones where something new has happened. I have a still life that was a key piece that I decided to keep. This is a picture that helped me achieve something in life. I still look back and draw motivation from it. I see it and I know that I can do it. I have a couple of encaustic paintings, landscapes and still lifes. There is not a single picture that would be my favorite. There are a couple of excellent students, and they have found good homes.

Would you like to see Laurie's work in person? Visit her gallery page.

Lori McNee is also a business expert and social media influencer. Read about some of the . 

Want to start your art business and get more art career advice? Subscribe for free.