I always have been inspired by light and color. It is their dynamic interplay that create beauty and interest in my visual world. I find my favorite images outdoors, either in sunlit spaces or moody shadows. I approach each canvas as a new challenge to capture this fleeting experience. All my senses are activated when doing "plein air" painting: the sounds of a nearby melodic bird or rustling trees, the warmth of the sun, or the eratic whipping of the wind.
When not able to paint outside I pull together items nearby and create a still life scene, using the same inspiration of the play of light and color. My good fortune of traveling to interesting and beautiful locations has afforded me the opportunity of photographing scenes that might be used as reference in later works. At times I have played with them as subjects for my paintings.
Primarily self-taught, I have engaged in workshops with internationally-known artists, including Charles Reid, Mel Stabin, Frank Webb, Eric Wiegardt, Judi Wagner, John Salminen, and Ted Minchin all members of the American Watercolor Society. I have taken plein-air oil workshops with noted artists Kevin Macpherson, Scott Christensen, Gay Faulkenberry, Gavin Brooks, Deborah Paris, Roger Dale Brown, Larry Moore, Rick McClure, John Poon, and Jim Carson. Recently she attended a still-life workshop with Barbara Flowers. I have been influenced by the creative artists in my family, most importantly my father, Maurice LaReau, and currently my daughter, Susan Meredith.
I am available for private or semi-private instruction.
· Women’s Center Art Show (juried) 2005
· Pittsboro Library Plein Air Art Show 2007
· Chatham Arts Council Gallery 2007
· Governors Club Art Show 2005, 2007, 2009
· Carrboro Library Water Show, 2007
· Local Color Paint-Out Art Show (Raleigh) 2008
· Searstone Plein Air Exhibit 2008
· Carrboro Library Painting Exhibition (juried) 2008
Alamance County Exhibition on NC Mills 2008
· Solo Show of 20 works at Bean and Barrel, Chapel Hill
2008
· Holly Springs PAINTNC show 2008
· Small Treasures Art Show (juried), Cary Gallery of Art
2009
· Fine Arts League of Cary Annual Show (juried) 2009
· For Garden’s Sake PAINTNC exhibit, Apex 2009
· Sertoma Arts Center PAINTNC exhibit, Raleigh 2009
· Fine Arts Festival Moore County 2009:
(Winner
of 2nd place cash award in oil category)
· Natural Selections Exhibit Photographic Show, (Juried)
Town of Chapel Hill 2010
Related Memberships:
Founding member of Plein Air in the Triangle (PAINTNC.org)
Fine Arts League of Cary
American Impressionists Society
