The James S. Murray Gallery at Lincoln Land Community College will host the exhibit “elemental” featuring mixed media paintings by Laura Anderson, LLCC assistant professor of art, Aug. 19-Sept. 12. The public is invited to view the exhibit weekdays from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. and attend a reception on Thursday, Aug. 22 from 5:30-7:30 p.m. The gallery is located on the upper level of Menard Hall on the LLCC Springfield campus, 5250 Shepherd Road.
Anderson’s work is inspired by the natural world, including its complexities, commonalities, mysteries and working processes. “We are part of nature, yet we’re set apart from it in many ways,” she explains. “My work explores the intersection of this duality, often via drawn or painted natural imagery combined with collaged artifacts and urban landscapes that reflect the man-made world.
“Working with collage, décollage, encaustic, charcoal, graphite and acrylic allows me to explore the history of process in my work via layering of structured collage elements with irregular lines, gestural brushstrokes and fluid forms that evoke the universal visual language that is evident everywhere in nature.”
Originally from a southern suburb of Chicago, Anderson earned a bachelor’s degree from Eastern Illinois University and a master’s degree from the University of Kansas. For more than 20 years, she has maintained a graphic design business in California in addition to teaching art and exhibiting her paintings nationally. Her fascination with plants and animals is a constant source of inspiration for her artwork.
Learn more about LLCC’s James S. Murray Gallery and its exhibits at www.llcc.edu/james-s-murray-gallery.
