Today we’d like to introduce you to Laurel Greenfield.
Laurel, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
I am originally from Atlanta, moved to Poughkeepsie, New York as a teenager, and moved to Boston in 2010 to go to school at BU. While my original intention was to enroll in the College of Fine Arts there, I opted to study Hospitality Administration instead and kept painting on my own on the floor of my various dorm rooms. I graduated in 2014 and continued school at BU, getting my Master’s degree in Gastronomy, a fancy way to say food studies, in 2016.
All this time, the paintings I was making at home featured brightly colored foods from ice cream cones to artichokes. I had attended the Mill Street Loft art intensive programs in Poughkeepsie before college where I learned the foundations and techniques I used in my work then as I do today.
It has always been evident to me that art and food are my two great loves in this life. I grew up in a large Jewish family where food was a means of celebration. We celebrated family time with nightly family dinners, celebrated vacation time by driving off course to some restaurant we had seen on TV, and celebrated Jewish holidays with Jewish foods. Painting food is a natural way for me to savors those memories.
My paintings celebrate who I am and who I’ve become over the years of sharing meals with those closest to me. I may never be able to go back in time to relive those memories, but I can capture them in my work so they can live on forever. Once I started getting commission requests to paint foods that remind other people of their favorite memories, I knew I had a business!
Has it been a smooth road?
I would say so far it’s been slow and steady, which isn’t a bad thing. My biggest struggles are with my self-confidence and remembering that it takes time to get the world around you to understand your complete vision! My biggest challenges are getting new eyes on my work and turning fans into collectors. My vision is to be the go-to brand for meaningful home decor that really speaks to people and tells their stories.
So, as you know, we’re impressed with Laurel Greenfield Art – tell our readers more, for example what you’re most proud of as a company and what sets you apart from others.
Laurel Greenfield Art specializes in vibrant, colorful paintings of food that add joy to your kitchen, dining room, and living space! I am all about art that speaks to YOU as an individual. All of my paintings are colorful and textured, but the best parts about them are the memories they conjure up and the stories they remind my collectors of. Every time a collector sees my work in their house, I want it to make them smile.
My proudest moments are when someone stares in a trance at one of paintings and starts talking about a cherished memory they hadn’t thought about in a while. For instance, my best known paintings are my artichokes and I love when people tell me they remind them of growing up in California or of visiting family in Italy and always having them on the table.
Food is so deeply personal and so deeply rooted in our memories. A colorful painting of an ice cream cone might be great on its own, but what sets my brand apart is that there is an extra focus on the story behind the painting. Maybe that ice cream cone reminds you of when you used to get ice cream on hot summer days with your grandmother.
The most fun I have in my business is painting commissions capturing stories just like the ones I mentioned before! Getting to really listen to someone’s treasured memories and capturing those memories in a brand new tangible way for them is so special.
Let’s touch on your thoughts about our city – what do you like the most and least?
I love Boston. It’s the first place I’ve lived that really felt like home for me. I love how walkable it is and I obviously love all the great food! If I could change one thing I would add some more affordable artist studio space…
Pricing:
- To purchase prints, visit http://www.laurelgreenfieldart.com/prints
- To purchase original paintings, head to http://www.laurelgreenfieldart.com/originals/
Contact Info:
- Website: laurelgreenfieldart.com
- Email: laurel@laurelgreenfieldart.com
- Instagram: instagram.com/laurelgreenfield
Image Credit:
Studio Photos by Alice Richardson
Getting in touch: BostonVoyager is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you know someone who deserves recognition please let us know here.
