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UP-CLOSE

Get to Know Our Featured Artist

Laurie Fields

Laurie Fields exhibit in Alexandria, VA

Laurie Fields exhibiting her work at the Alexandria Art Festival in Arlington, VA.

After graduating from the University of Hartford with a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree, I became a textile designer in New York City, designing prints for apparel and home furnishings. I was accepted as a resident artist at the Farmington Valley Arts Center in Avon, Connecticut, where I had a working studio which was open to the public.  I was the recipient of an Individual Artists Grant from the Connecticut Commission on the Arts to further develop my painting style, leading to exhibitions at Arts Exclusive Gallery in Simsbury, Connecticut, Kiva Gallery in Scarsdale, New York and first prize at the Connecticut Women Artists Exhibition at the Slater Museum in Connecticut.

 

In May of 1981, I was accepted as a resident artist at the Torpedo Factory Art Center in Alexandria, Virginia, where I currently have a solo studio. It was here that my work morphed from exclusively acrylic painting to mixed media pieces, combining such elements as plexiglass, plaster, metal and roofing.

Laurie Fields artwork installation

“My combination of various collage materials, textures and acrylic paint produce abstract paintings suitable for both residential and commercial settings."

Laurie Fields

Installation of Laurie's artwork.

In addition to the studio, I participate in about six art festivals a year, which have included Rittenhouse Art on the Square (Philadelphia, Pa.), Bruce Museum Outdoor Arts Festival (Greenwich, Ct.), Armonk Outdoor Art Show (Armonk, NY), Central PA Arts Festival (State College, Pa.), Gracie Square Arts Festival (New York, NY), Northern Va. Fine Arts Festival (Reston, Va.), MPAartfest (McLean, Va.), Longs Park Art Festival (Lancaster, Pa.), and Bethesda Row Arts Festival (Bethesda, Md.).

AREA OF EXPERTISE

LOG JAM - 24 x 48 - mixed media
Encased Floral by Laurie Fields
ENCASED FLORAL - 31 x 20 - natural elements in encaustic wax, oil/cold wax, acrylic on plexiglass, roofing, mounted on aluminum
EXPRESSION THROUGH EVERYDAY MATERIALS

My area of expertise is using and combining everyday materials in unexpected ways. While walking through Home Depot I gravitate towards the roofing, plaster, tiles, adhesives and flashing and think about new ways to use these materials. A discarded piece of plexiglass, wood or tin, can often be the beginning of a new piece, and lend themselves to the earthy palette I am drawn to. My process involves arranging and rearranging.

“...I gravitate towards the roofing, plaster, tiles, adhesives and flashing and think about new ways to use these materials."

Laurie Fields

Zen Series by Laurie Fields
ZEN SERIES - 16 x 8 - oil/cold wax, acrylic on plexiglass, modeling paste/acrylic, tiles, roofing, mounted on aluminum

IN THE STUDIO

Laurie Fields Torpedo Factory Studio
Laurie's studio in the Torpedo Factory, Alexandria, VA. Photo courtesy of Google Images.

My studio life is unique in that my studio is in the Torpedo Factory Art Center, with other artists, in a building which is open to the public 7 days a week. While the front of my studio is mainly gallery space, the remaining part is my work space. Although it took some time to get used to people watching and interrupting my work, I enjoy sharing my process with them. I might be observed laying out the composition for a piece, glueing it down, varnishing it, sanding it, framing it, or a combination of these.

Click HERE for a virtual tour of Laurie's Studio.

Torpedo Factory in Alexandria, VA
The Torpedo Factory in Old Town Alexandria, VA.
Photo courtesy of Google Images.
Red/Black Series by Laurie Fields

My work is in the collection of the Vanderbilt family, as well as such corporate collections as IBM, General Foods, Hyatt Regency, Westinghouse, Geico and others. It has been published in Cosmopolitan, Designer, Interior Design and Home Entertainment magazines.  Over seventy of my images have been published as posters and are distributed worldwide.

RED/BLACK SERIES - 23 x 12 - encaustic wax, acrylic on plexiglass, modeling paste/acrylic, patina copper, roofing
Laurie Fields in studio
Laurie at work in her studio.

“I love having my dog, Teddy, with me at the studio everyday - and at any show that allows dogs. It's a perk at the Torpedo Factory that it's dog-friendly for both residents and visitors."

Laurie Fields

Juggling Act by Laurie Fields
JUGGLING ACT - 66 x 26 - encaustic wax, modeling paste/acrylic, oil/cold wax, roofing
Half Moon by Laurie Fields
HALF MOON
46 x 17 - encaustic/acrylic on plexiglass/modeling paste/roofing

CONTACT INFORMATION

Vertical Stripes by Laurie Fields

Laurie Fields

TORPEDO FACTORY ART CENTER

105 North Union Street

Alexandria, VA 22314

VERTICAL STRIPES - 41 x 12 - vintage metal, encaustic wax, acrylic on plexiglass, modeling paste/acrylic, roofing

*All painting images Copyright 2016 Laurie Fields

ARCHIVE

See our previous UP-CLOSE featured artists.

August 2016 - Jill Banks

September 2016 - Linda Hendrickson

October 2016 - Laurie Fields

November 2016 - Mary Champion

January 2017 - Robert Thoren

February 2017 - Susan La Mont

March 2017 - Web Bryant

December 2016 - Chica Brunsvold

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