Tess Lawrence
Artist Statement
“I’m very nearly 70 years old and have been painting all of my life. Ours was hard working farm life. 7 children and everyone in my family painted. Art and our loved pets were our only activity outside of chores. Ma made sure we were never without drawing paper & little tins of watercolor paint. My teacher was my mother, Ma was a natural artist, self taught. She was one of many in a share cropper family. I think art was her only outlet. Ma has been gone a long time but I hope she sees my paintings and is happy for me. Today I paint in explosions of color and sparkle. I call my paintings “Kitchen Art” because it is friendly, alive, warm and full of the fur-faces that have been my life companions. I have been fortunate enough to be able to sell art in many states across the country and someday I will be known only through the paintings I leave behind. But that’s really something from my heart….so that’s the best I can offer, right?”
Artist Biography
Tess Lawrence is a self-taught painter form the Newaygo area who produces whimsical bold acrylic paintings with a collage of mixed media added in to make them stand out. Her style is very unique, easy to identify, and Tess is one of the best selling 2D artists at NCCA-Artsplace.
Exhibits in the Dogwood Lobby Gallery are courtesy of Newaygo County Council for the Arts – Artsplace.