A New Approach

Where art techniques collide. Print-making, oil painting, and collage, all brought together to reveal a story. Just start somewhere. Mark your mark and listen to what it tells you to do next. 

 Art Journaling Workshop

Date: 5/17/2025

9:30-3:00

Discounts & Other Fees: $5 Resident Discount

Location: New London Adult Ed - Three Shaw's Cove - Room 21

Description

We will explore the creative process and the imagination behind illustrated stories- our stories-and the marriage between words and images. The process of image making through drawing, painting and collage allows everyone the ability to give form to their imagination, while creative writing gives voice to your ideas and memories. We will cultivate your individual voices through the written word and a personal vision working with art mediums.

Sketchbook or notebooks, what is an art journal and why keep one? An introduction.

Paper, pencil, paint and photographs; what do you need to begin?  Choosing materials.

Words and inspiration; what goes into the journal? Writing it down, creative writing.

Creating images; finding your muse. Working with: Paint, Pencil, and Photographs

Finders Keepers; Working with: Found materials and Collage.

Putting it all together

 Keeping a journal doesn’t require remarkable skill in the art of writing or painting but the final work is worth all the effort to keep your own creative journal. Teens are welcome.

 BRING YOUR LUNCH and personal photos you can cut up.

 Workshop: 5 hours (breaks included)

$10.00 per attendee for materials

 

Return to Sender

 

                                     Return to Sender

                                              4”x5”             

2025 has begun with a flurry of work. Mostly printmaking. Drypoint engraving to be specific. It’s a wonderful technique that doesn’t require a lot of expensive tools or materials. It’s best to print using a press, and I have a small one for the work I produce. Plates can be of plexiglass, aluminum or copper (this work is on copper) and each have their own qualities. 

There are a varieties of ink that can be used, Akua, Gamblin, even Windsor & Newton water soluble oil paint, also each with their own characteristics. 

It’s all in the mark making process. I mostly use an inexpensive scribe I picked up at the hardware store. Creating lines a lot as if I was creating a drawing.

The paper is often watercolor paper that is soaked before being placed on the inked plate.

This work is derived from a travel photo I took in Croatia. I like the imaginative narrative behind the image.

I’m going to continue with a new work of the Bridge of Sighs. Returning to a plexiglass plate that I haven’t used in many years. 

Onward into the new year! Happy New Year!

 As 2024 comes to an end, it has been anything but quiet.

Art Therapy

In 1987, somewhere in the midst after being released from college with a degree in painting and awaiting a world that had not quite yet embraced my work, I enrolled in a class called Art Therapy and Human Development. As it turned out it became my therapy and my development. To this day I believe my art has always been a  form of self therapy.

-Laura

Creative Journal Arts

A classic approach to pastel painting is working from a monotype underpainting. Here I created a monotype using photo reference. It was done in a burnt sienna focusing on texture variations. The next stage was pastel washes. Broad strokes of color liquefied with water (or 91% alcohol). This is now my starting point for my pastel application.
 

Pure Pigment

 

A New Class Starting in March

 

Monotype - Creative Printmaking Without a Press

 8 Seats Available

Monotype - Creative Printmaking Without a Press

Sessions:

5

Dates:

3/16/2023 to 4/20/2023

Discounts & Other Fees:

 Fee $89.00.   $5 Resident Discount

Location:

• Robert E. Fitch Senior High School -

Instructor:

• Laura Gorian

Meeting Times

• Thursday 6:00 PM - 8:30 PM

---

Description

Monotypes do not require a press. We will explore the unique impressions created by combining techniques and materials to achieve creative spontaneous prints. Open to seasoned artists and beginners alike.

Additional Notes

There is a $15 material fee payable to the Instructor at the first class.

Many supplies will be included in the materials package supplied at the beginning of class. You will need to pick up a few necessary supplies that we will review at the beginning of class.

 PURE PIGMENT: Exploring the Versatility of Pastel

Mystic Museum of Art

Explore the versatile medium of pastels. With the vibrancy of pure pigment, pastels create painterly images through drawing techniques. Learn mark-making practices and pastel painting fundamentals, as well as advanced methods. This class is for anyone wanting to explore and create! No prior art training is necessary. This class is open to either chalk pastels or oil pastels.

5-week Series

Wednesdays, 6pm – 8:30pm  

March 29 – April 26                                                                                                                        

Ages: Youth and Adults

Members $210 / Non-Members $250

 Pure Pigment: Pastels

Mystic Museum of Art

Artist Educator: Laura L. Gorian

Explore the versatile medium of pastel. With the vibrancy of pure pigment, pastels create painterly images through drawing techniques. Learn mark-making practices and pastel painting fundamentals, as well as advanced methods. This class is for anyone wanting to explore and create! No prior art training necessary.

*This class is open to either chalk pastel or oil pastel.

5-week Series

Wednesdays 6pm – 8:30pm

November 2 – December 14(No class on November 23 and 30)

Ages: Youth and Adults

Members $210 / Non-Members $250

Join my fall class

Telling Your Story

Words and images often go together. But what can your imagination do when presented with a picture without words? What story can you build? Where does the picture take you? What's happening? What happened before the picture and what will happen next? See what you can write to tell a story about this picture, and send it to me.

 

With Nature's Help

Exploring Natural Pigments

About four months ago I began researching how to develop pigments made from the natural materials around me. Since then I've simmered, steeped, brewed, boiled, and ground materials such as beetroot, turmeric, blueberries, red cabbage, fruit teas, and coffee, all in an effort to extract the colors nature gave them. Some have been very successful (turmeric, beetroot, and granulated coffee) others not so much (chili pepper). I keep searching. But the practical application is another matter. Watercolor and gouache have been my first attempts. Here is a work executed with all-natural materials: blueberries, coffee, tea, beetroot, and turmeric. It's all been a bit of chemistry mixed with art.

Explore Monotype printing with my new demonstration videos

Monotypes, unlike many other printing methods, do not require a press. They offer the exciting freedom to work with a variety of materials and methods that give you the opportunity to create spontaneous and often surprising results.

Take a look and my new demonstration videos!

https://youtu.be/J9GupTL1_pQ
https://youtu.be/MIaNXkGG-C4

Illustration I begins January 21st at Santa Fe Community College

Join me for a semester of Illustration I.

Illustration in contrast to fine art functions to communicate a concept, idea or interpret content. Working from a variety of reference materials and life, in this class, your work will develop through the process of brainstorming and exploring possibilities and solving communication problems. We will look at other illustrator’s work, through its history to current times and examine the multifaceted relationships encountered in the commercial illustration field.  The process of image-making, either by painting, drawing, collage, or electronic media begins with a concept. The text often plays a part, either by interpretation or context and can often be used to enhance the illustration (Children’s Books) or the illustration to illuminate a body of text, (Editorial).  Often, they work together in balance. Institutional illustration, such as posters, CD covers, corporate annual reports, or greeting card design incorporates strong design principals as well as pictorial representation which leads us to executing an idea on paper or canvas and culminates into a finished work. Understanding your audience and successfully communicating with them through imagery regardless of your medium is the basis for illustration.

There's still time. Join me for a new season of classes!
Monotypes: Creative Printmaking Without a Press Monotypes

Unlike many other printing methods, monotypes do not require a press. They offer the exciting freedom to work with a variety of materials and methods that give you the opportunity to create with spontaneous and often surprising results. Explore the unique impressions that can be created by combining these techniques and simple materials to achieve a creative understanding of this fun and versatile printing method. For seasoned artists and beginners alike. Feb 5-Mar 11, W, 6:15 to 8:15p CRN 31070 Laura Loturco Gorian, Fee: $149

Creative Printmaking being offered at the New Mexico Art League

It's not too late, come join me for a two day workshop exploring a variety of printmaking forms and techniques.

New Medium, New Techniques

Embarking in a new direction. I haven't done a block print since high school, but I was inspired by an exhibit at the Albuquerque Museum of Art called The Carved Line.

( https://www.cabq.gov/culturalservices/albuquerque-museum/exhibitions/carved-line) Importantly documenting block printing past and present. An amazing collection of techniques and styles historical and contemporary works. Eagerly I brought out my old tools and materials and set to work. It gave me new insight to the difficulties of technique and appreciation of skill. I'm still learning, but it's an adventure.

New Territory

When we are inspired, when we see a piece of art that draws us closer, it's important to take note of what it is that grabs hold of us. Is it color, subject, medium, technique; always be aware. Where can your discoveries take you?

UNM Continuing Education: Monotypes: Creative Printmaking Without a Press

The Home Stretch

Years in the making, yes, years. I dated it in light pencil printed in the margin; September 24, 2013. It's been keeping me company over the years, through printmaking classes; through my mothers...and fathers stay in hospitals; through seasons of camping in El Morro and vacationing in Croatia. Several incongruities about this piece. First, it's a watercolor. I left watercolors behind me when I moved towards oils. Every once in a while when inspired by someone elses work I'll bring them out. Secondly, it's 18" x 24". In my studio, that's almost mural sized. I lean towards smaller pieces. Lastly, it's a landscape, I indulge in still lives, so I can count on my hand how many I may have done. With that said, it's coming to an end, in the home stretch, not soon enough, a battle of wills, I won't give up now!

Resilience