Lauren Calkins was born and raised in Kaneohe, Hawaii. She completed her Fine Arts and Biology degree from the University of Hawaii at Manoa in 2020.
In Lauren’s most recent series Cyclic, she is looking at decomposition not as an end but as a transformation. The painter references and intuitively deconstructs decaying flora. By excavating new forms through deep shadows and changing colors, she allows the nature of her decisions to become a part of the “decaying process” of the work itself. Through the push and pull of this process, the intertwined decaying forms illuminate with renewed significance. Peering further into the stages of decay, metaphorically life now bears new meaning as these forms dance across the canvas, giving rise to catharsis for the artist.
Photo Credit: Eric Ordorica