Lauren Kussro

At the heart of my work is a love and appreciation of nature from the micro to the macro, and a desire for the natural world to be healed from its current state - for all things to be renewed and restored.

My creative process is centered in the space between play and discovery. I work intuitively, experimenting with drawings or materials until I find a form that excites me and causes me to investigate further. Not having a set idea of what I want a finished piece to look like enables me to respond to the form and materials as I work. My investigations often lead to the creation of amalgams, combined ecosystems that can reflect aspects of both the ocean life and forest floor. Nature is bizarre but wonderful, majestic yet whimsical, and my work is most successful when it demonstrates a balance of that same tension.

Color is a vital component, and I find myself becoming increasingly sensitive to the nuances of colors, the way they interact, and what they can communicate. I see colors functioning much the same way notes do in music - the wrong color combination is like having an off-key note or a flawed chord. I'm always looking for just the right color balance so that the viewer can sense the visual harmony.

The complexity of the universe invites exploration and discovery, and is part of what I find so appealing – the layers upon layers that wait to be revealed to the curious and patient observer. Vast strata of details, and worlds within worlds are found throughout creation - from galaxies to cells - and even in our intellect and spirituality we are deep wells of mystery. For me, the act of making is closely linked with my faith and I see it as an ongoing spiritual discipline. Making is a physical way of investigating, considering, and communicating my ideas and beliefs, which like my art continue to evolve and mature.

Kussro attended Herron School of Art & Design in Indianapolis for her undergraduate studies, earning a BFA in painting and printmaking in 2003. In 2006 she completed her MFA degree in printmaking at the University of Tennessee in Knoxville. She is currently an Assistant Professor of Art and Design at the University of Houston - Clear Lake in Houston, Texas, where she teaches printmaking and drawing.

Kussro’s work has been shown in various locations around the country, including solo exhibitions at the Nashville International Airport and Vanderbilt University in Nashville, Tennessee, as well as group exhibitions at Kai Lin Art in Atlanta, the Dadian Gallery in Washington D.C., and the Manhattan Graphics Center in New York. Her work has also been exhibited in India and China. Her creative process is centered in a playful investigation of the natural world, and frequently features combinations of printmaking, sculpture and sewing.