First Place Painting

Laurie Hoen

Evicted From Our Place in This World

40 x 40 x 1”, framed to 41.5 x 41.5 x 1.75"

Oil on Panel 

$5000

Science tells us we may be facing a sixth mass extinction; a period when a high percentage of biodiversity dies out. I lived in Oregon where totem poles made by First Nations communities honor ancestry, histories, or events. Here I suggest totem poles of global species in decline or already gone.

Artist's Statement:

I am a storyteller at heart. My art is idea driven, combining simple, easy to read images that, when layered symbolically, add meaning to each other. I combine elements of still life, landscape, and allegory, raising questions about social and environmental issues. Visual puzzles to be solved, allegories depend on both insight and suggestion. Peering into a setting of familiar objects that reflect our own history, we consider our experience in the context of the social commentary and current events which animate the objects. Layered conceptually, like a complex chord, these visual stories present what people may not wish to see--questions about who we are, who we want to be, and what stories we want to author.

My practice unapologetically embraces a traditional language of representation in art, while simultaneously engaging in contemporary conceptual conversations. I celebrate the beauty of light and form in a painting style that leans toward my love of realism, but still maintains the character of a painterly brushstroke. I weave historical and cultural symbolism, social science, and references to current events into my work, inviting interpretations that shift depending on who is looking and how deeply, balancing cautionary tales with opportunities for optimism.