We had the good fortune of connecting with Desiree Lawrence and we’ve shared our conversation below.
Hi Desiree, what led you to pursuing a creative path professionally?
I pursue art as my career because creating is something that I have always been passionate about and it brings me fulfillment. I realized that I wanted to become an artist after taking some accounting courses in college. The accounting courses dealt with mostly numbers and they drove me crazy. It drove me away from it and it made me want to be more creative by making artwork that I can share with people. Another reason for my artistic career choice is because I live close to the beach and see the beauty that lives within the environment. I want to be able to share my view of the natural environment that surrounds us. I want to make my viewers realize that life is beautiful and that we should be appreciating it to the fullest. For me, having a career that I can enjoy and impact people is something that is very meaningful. I want to be able to inspire and make people look at their life or environment differently.
Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
I’ve been really drawn to creating what is around me instead of looking up inspirations on the internet. I want to be able to share my observations with the world. I have been surrounding myself with nature by going for walks on the beach, walking the Tijuana Estuary, and hiking through different trails found in San Diego. I’ve been observing and taking lots of photos of plants, birds, and creatures I see around me to be able to use them in my personal work. With these photos, I can continuously create surrealistic works of art. I’m realizing that this is my way of appreciating the environment around me by studying the life that lives within it. I got to where I am today by involving myself with inspiring people. I got to meet many artists who are going through the same journey as I am, and we are all a huge support system for each other. I also have had great friends, family, and teachers who have helped and pushed me to where I am today. Now, I am more open to taking on more challenging projects, whereas before I probably would have turned them down from a lack of confidence. I have changed my attitude to think more positively which has helped me grow. I have dealt with many challenges where I have felt like I did not have enough presentable work that would fit the standards of the different exhibitions I wanted to submit to, so I wouldn’t bother to participate. I have also felt like my work wasn’t good enough to make prints, so I would have to say the most challenging thing is building the confidence to start my art career by making prints and submitting my work to exhibitions. Along the way, I have learned to build confidence and to not be afraid to get myself out there to share my work. If art is the career I want to pursue, I need to work more to push myself out of my comfort zone. I want the world to know that I want my art to be an inspiration for others. I would love this to teach people to stop for a moment and enjoy their natural environment. It can be anything like sitting at the park studying the shapes of the trees, watching the birds move, or looking at the different shapes and values in the clouds. It can be very entertaining to watch, and it’s a good way to connect to the earth. As for my story, I want to let the world know that it takes time to get where you want to be professionally. I am still going through daily challenges, but I am taking it as a learning experience to get where I want to be as a professional artist.
Any great local spots you’d like to shoutout?
The places I would take my best friend to visit are Liberty Station, where we could walk around the park, visit the stores and art studios, check out the Public Market, and introduce her to my favorite restaurant Officine Buona Forchetta. Another place I would take my friend is Balboa Park because there are so many fun things to do there. We can visit the San Diego Museum of Art, Natural History Museum, Fleet Science Center, check out the international cottages, and the Spanish Village. I would also take my friend to my local beach, Imperial Beach to just hang out, get some ice cream, and walk on the pier. The places that I would take my friend in Imperial Beach to eat or have drinks are the Mike Hess Brewing Company and Luigi’s Pizza. Places that we would eat in San Diego are Border X in Barrio Logan, Harumama Noodles and Buns in Little Italy, and Inflex in University. Last but not least, depending on the day, we would go to the farmers market and try different foods that they have. The most exciting thing I enjoy doing is exploring different trails to walk around in San Diego. I also enjoy spending my time at the Tijuana Estuary looking for different birds. Another place I enjoy going is to the parks. I’ve lately been hanging out at Mountain Hawk Park in Otay Ranch because that park is full of trees, mountains and it has a beautiful view of a lake. I highly recommend everyone to visit that park because it’s a great park to have a picnic. I also love visiting the museums such as the San Diego Museum of Art, the Natural History Museum, and the Getty whenever I have the chance to visit LA.
The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
I would love to give Chris Padilla a shoutout. He has played a huge role throughout my journey while I am pursuing a career in art. He has helped me so much and given me great advice that helps me continue down my path as an artist. I look up to him as a mentor and as a successful artist. He has watched me grow throughout the years, and I could not thank him enough for being a great friend, supporter, and mentor. Another person I would love to give a shoutout to is Amanda Kachadoorian. She is not only a great friend, but she has helped me grow in so many ways. She has motivated me to get more involved in the art community by participating in different art shows. She has pushed me out of my comfort zone by having me curate a pop-up show last December, and I’ve gotten the opportunity to help her curate another exhibition this past January. She has also given me great advice on how to start my small business. She’s truly an inspiration, and I don’t think I would have known how to continue my passion if it wasn’t for her. I would also love to give the Bonita Museum and Cultural Center and the shop Artifacts and Artichokes a shoutout. They have done so much too to help me and deserve recognition.
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/desireelawrenceart/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/desireelawrenceart/
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