Q&A with artist Lauren Ward from laurenlillylonnie

This week we send out a beautiful, warm welcome to the wonderful Lauren Ward from laurenlillylonnie. Lauren's artworks are amazingly colourful and just plain spectacular! Let's meet her...

My role as an artist could be summed up as a juggling act. I am constantly trying to find the right balance between family life and my creative practice. I have been painting since I was a child, when my Nana handed me some brushes and taught me to love painting. However a full time teaching load and family life meant I stopped creating for many years. After my 3rd son was born in 2017, I realised I needed to feed my soul and began painting again. Painting is now proudly part of my daily life.

For me art has and always will be first and foremost about the joy of creating. My dream customer is always someone who takes the time to chat about how my artwork came to exist. Purchasing art is just like purchasing a piece of someone's heart, so I love selling art to someone who values that kind of magic.

When I am purchasing art I am looking to purchase from the artist. Just as I like to connect with a buyer, I like to purchase art from the individual who created it. I love to buy art that embraces colour and I often collect works from other Australian artists. 

My advice for other artists is don't think of sales when creating, think about yourself. Forget your adult fears of judgement and failure. Remember what it was like to be a child, free to explore and experiment. Allow yourself to fail and celebrate the joy of creating. Do it because you love it and remember that you are worth the investment. 

If you would like to see more of my work you can find me on facebook or Instagram and via my website www.laurenlillylonnie.com.au