Laura Wimbish-Vanderbeck — Searching for the Light
Interview by Vidabeth Bensen and Forrest Greenslade 2/24/03
Laura’s V Studio is a rustic building on Chicken Bridge Road. It was built by her husband Tom and adjacent to their home, also built by him. They moved to the rural property in 1995 from Chicago, where she practiced Clinical Psychology. They lived in a trailer while the buildings were constructed.
Laura had grown up in Greensboro, but lived in cities around the country pursuing education in art, music and psychology. The intersection of these passions has inspired the art that she now creates. “I believe that you can bring light into the world through creativity. I make art for the joy of discovery and to share that light. Every time I enter my studio, I feel a shift in consciousness and I wonder what would happen if…”
Laura creates in mixed media, acrylics as well as alcohol inks. Her current works are mostly alcohol inks on different substrates. “I create using alcohol ink and a variety of tools (small air compressor, giotto, hair dryers, brushes and even my (gloved fingers at times) to move the colors over yupo paper, specially prepared canvas, glass or ceramics. With glass, I will often use epoxy resin and a heat gun to move the color around.”
Her inspiration comes mostly from nature and nightly dreams. “I see the pieces emerging. I can’t say they always translate perfectly, but they do inspire me to try things which often end up going in a direction that I probably couldn’t have imagined.”
Laura’s unique work can be seen in her V Studio and on the Chatham Artists Guild website at: https://chathamartistsguild.org/artists/laura-wimbish-vanderbeck/ She will make her Chatham Studio Tour debut the first two weeks of December 2023.
“No alcohol ink picture ever looks the same. If it is true that our energy comes through in our work, then I would hope that my energy would radiate from the painting and bring light and peace into the world.”
