Laverne Bohlin - Biography

Biography

Laverne's love of art and nature began on Lake Erie's "North Coast" where she was born and raised. She spent summers working as a portrait artist at Cedar Fair, L.P. while attending college and received a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree from the University of Michigan. While attending Michigan, her education was directed towards the study of abstract expressionism. Additional workshops with Richard McKinley, Doug Dawson, Jimmy Wright, Susan Sarback, Marla Baggetta, Terri Ford and others focused on a more realistic depiction of the natural world.

Using pastel or oil paint, Bohlin's work mainly depicts the local landscape and flora. For the majority of her life she resided in the Chicago area and painted places where nature had been allowed to flourish in addition to painting cultivated gardens. "Living in a metropolitan area caused me to focus on the last remnants of un-managed land that were close to my home. Teaching landscape design classes at a community college helped me realize the importance ecology and stewardship of the land. I am inspired to make art that shares my love of the natural world and heightens others awareness of the environment."  Since relocating to New Mexico, she has been enthralled by the vast landscape that has inspired so many artists.

Her sensitive paintings and drawings have received numerous awards and are included in many private collections. In addition to participating in local and national shows, she teaches pastel drawing workshops in the Albuquerque, Wisconsin and the Chicago area. Laverne is a member of The Nature Artists’ Guild of The Morton Arboretum, the Rio Grande Art Association and is a Signature Member of the Pastel Society of New Mexico.

 

 

Artist Statement

The natural world has always been the muse and inspiration for my paintings. Whether the work is an impressionist depiction or an abstracted image, I strive to visually communicate the experience of being outdoors. I am intrigued by how light falls on the landscape, the harmonious color or the organic, chaotic patterns always present in the natural world.

 

Pastel, oil and acrylic paint are the three mediums I prefer to use because of their versatility and endless color combinations. When using pastel, I use the side of the stick to produce a more “painterly stroke” rather than a linear stroke. Both the pastels and paintings share a similarity of subject matter, color and soft edges. Many of my plein air studies are done in oil paint or pastel. These studies, along with photographs, become the reference material for more developed pieces. The local landscape provides an endless source of inspiration for my work, but I also enjoy developing “abstracted landscapes” which are informed by nature.

Simply put, painting brings me great joy and I have always made art. The motivation to work is to share my love of art and nature. My hope is that the viewer will experience the solace, power and peace that exist in the natural world.