Laura LeinSvencer has been a member of the La Grange Art League for the past ten years. She originally joined the league for fellowship and a place to exhibit her work, but she quickly changed directions to become one of the art league framers and collage teacher.
Her background in arts is personal examination into tactile studies such as ceramics, printmaking, hand papermaking, metal smith and now collage. Laura is a member of many local art leagues in the DuPage County area, Naperville Art League, Depage Art League, as well as ours. She is a co-founder of the Midwest Collage Society, a member of the National Collage Society and the Chicago Arts Coalition.
Seven years ago Alla Jabolkow (the League school director at the time) asked Laura if she would like to teach. She was taken aback by the question as her only teaching experience had been working in her children’s elementary school district in an Art Awareness program. Alla told her that she only had to share what she knew. Laura’s been teaching ever since. Her classes are popular and the output of her students is impressive.
What amazes everyone is the simple, fun loving, creative spirit she shares with her students, encouraging them to go outside the box and see where their own abilities will take them. They receive assignments and task work to enable them to hone their design skills, leading to a better understanding of a good compositional layout. Basically, Laura wants all the participants in her workshops and classes to challenge themselves.
She showed me an amazing journal she’d made from an old book found at a resale shop. It’s cut, painted, sewn, gessoed, sanded. I loved it. It’s an excellent example of Laura’s approach. First, there’s a concept, the artist relates to it, understands it and finally executes it.
With summer coming, she’s taking time off to exhibit in the outdoor fine arts festivals. This year she’ll be at Hinsdale, Naperville Women’s Club, Geneva, Burr Ridge, Riverwalk and her own outdoor studio exhibit in September. She’ll have a One Person Show at the La Grange Art League in October 2009. In the meantime, you can see more of her work at www.lauralein-svencer.com or stay tuned daily to her blog at http://www.lonecrwoart.blogsspot.com