ABOUT
Laura Cott is artist + owner of LaCott Fine Art living and working in Western New York, based out of a studio in Orchard Park, NY. Cott grew up in Western NY and graduated from Buffalo State College with a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in painting. She works closely with other creative minds in her community to pursue the teaching of the arts in WNY while pursuing her passion for creating, painting and making every day.
“My goal as a maker is to create an opportunity for people who may not seek out traditional fine art, capture a part of it in their everyday life.”
It was through trial and error that she discovered her process and Mixed Media Painting style. Experiences with travel and medium exploration developed a connection to nature and landscape -her main source of inspiration. Like anything in life, the best things happen unexpectedly. Her pieces create an opportunity for people who may not seek out traditional fine art, capture a part of it in their everyday life.
Cott's art reflects natural surroundings and the visual storytelling of the interaction of light, line, and color. She works primarily with paint and non-traditional materials. Her philosophy toward creating work centered on the idea that everything is a product of creative experience. These artistic choices convey stories of atmosphere and emotion through expressive line, color and texture.
THE WORK
Every stroke, line or color choice is intentional whether it is recognized or conscious. My paintings are expressive stories- layers of paint, paper, and stroke- together to make something personal and atmospheric. As a younger artist, I found something worth exploring: the abstracted landscape, the push of color and the relationship between environment and man. The primary technical approach that I have addressed is my application and experimentation of color. Color choices and value decisions come from both direct observation and the power of recollection. I have a painterly approach to my work- impressionistic. As I have grown, I consider it more expressive and abstract.
Working primarily with paint and non-traditional materials like found paper; my recent work is an interpretation of my view of nature. I spend time collecting moments from water, mountain ranges, and views of the ocean and convey them through paint, paper collage and illustration. Color is used like shape—to create depth and determine dynamic spaces. My process demands planning, choosing complimentary patterns and textures with specific painting mediums like watercolor as well as Alcohol Inks.