We had the good fortune of connecting with Laura Lynne and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Laura, can you walk us through the thought-process of starting your business?
When our son was born in 2012, I was lucky to be able to stay home, but knew my time was limited and dreaded going back to the corporate world. (“Dread” isn’t a strong enough word.)  About a year after my son was born I started working during naps and after he went to bed at night building up my portfolio and business part-time. I wanted so badly to do what I loved. 

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
I noticed there wasn’t a lot of decor that I really liked when I was decorating my son’s nursery room. I wanted a nature theme, but couldn’t find anything in the right colors or style.  So, I started working on creating a portfolio of nature-inspired whimsical artwork by doing commissions for friends and family. In 2019, I started getting mural commissions, but everything stopped in 2020. Since my mural business was just starting at the end of 2019 and most of my contracts from 2019 were paid in 2020, I didn’t qualify for any aid during the pandemic. It took a lot to convince my husband to let me keep going and build my business back after that. However, since then my business has evolved to creating collaborative artworks with kids and teaching.  It’s been a snowball with one opportunity leading to the next. I am very grateful for it.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
If you would have asked me that question when I first moved to Aurora, Illinois, I would have told you the best thing in Aurora was the express train to Chicago. However, in the last 15 years Aurora has grown so much and I’m proud to call it home. If I were to show a friend around Aurora, I would give them a tour of all the murals in the city, including the ones I painted. We’d take a bike ride along the Fox River and hang out at one of the coffee shops with a view. I love the ice cream at Charlie’s Silver Spoon creamery. It’s heavenly. We’d also eat at Altiro’s especially for the green rice, Society 57, Chupacabra Puerto Rican Kitchen, and ALL of the Mexican restaurants. We’d go to Two Brother’s Round House, which is really round because it was built to repair trains in the 1800s, to see a band. We’d also go to the Venue to see a band. Then we’d visit the gorgeous Paramount Theater to see an award winning musical. We’d visit the sunken gardens and see the mammoth bones at Phillips Park.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
There are so many people I’d like to thank. My art teachers from elementary to college have been instrumental. Also, one of my mom’s friends, Ruth Harken, always takes the time to send me a hand-written, and now emailed, note of encouragement. She got me involved in art shows and also on the board of a local arts organization when I was living in Wisconsin. In Aurora, my home for the last 15 years, Marissa Amoni, owner of a public relations and event management company has hired me for small and large jobs for the city. Dustin Thacker of the DuPage Children’s Museum worked with me for an online artist-in-residency during the most stressful time in my life in 2020 and 2021 when mural jobs were scarce and art shows weren’t happening. Elizabeth Pinkerton of Pinkerton Coaching offered consulting sessions during the pandemic which helped get my business back on track. My parents and in-laws driving 2 hours to babysit on the weekends so I could do art shows was so helpful. Javi Terrazas included me in a local artist group and has invited me to local shows. Tara Bell hired me to teach and do collaborative art projects with Indian Prairie School District. Again, my husband has been the biggest support. Thank you, Tony. There are so many more people, I could write a book. Thank you to all of my supporters and fellow artists. You are very appreciated.  Much love and gratitude to all of you!

Website: www.lauralynneart.com

Instagram: www.instagram.com/lauralynneart

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/laura-lynne-art/

Facebook: www.facebook.com/lauralynneart

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC8Ft27aOBRHiB_DCdux00oQ

Image Credits
Amy Nelson, Vizo Arts

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