Artist Bio

Artist Statement

“The empty coats, dresses and ties in my work reflect on identity as both journey and construct. Surfaces are endowed with the quality of flesh; sensual, raw and scarred resonating with the critical moments and turning points that indelibly mark our lives.

The recent inclusion of text and graffiti references the human desire to render our presence tangible, to make our voices heard, to leave our individual mark in a world becoming increasingly cacophonous, filled with the 24/7 intrusions of smartphones, computers, media sound bites, and text messaging.

While acknowledging the ever-present noise around us, I try to take viewers back inside themselves to find the human presence that often gets lost in the chatter. Whether thinking of human presence as the elusive interior world of the subconscious - evidenced by the butterflies and lights - or the more material, gritty and visible text of graffiti, in the end I view my work as successful if my paintings can leave the viewer feeling just a little bit naked ,” Laura Schiff Bean.

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