Artist Statement

When faced with the question, “Why do I create art?” I always
want to retort with, “Well, why do you breathe?” As cliché as that sounds, it
gets the point across. I create art for a multitude of reasons the biggest
being, because I have to.

I used to create art because I needed to get an emotion
out of my being, whether it was good or bad. I began writing songs when I was
little because I was bored and drawing because I missed my dad and felt closer
to him when I drew. When I was in junior high and high school I began playing
instruments in order to get the energy and enthusiasm I had towards my everyday
life. When I hit college it became apparent that I was building the skills I needed
to succeed in life through this thing called art.

I create works of art for others to experience an emotion
that they weren’t experiencing, or just to share my gift. I love to inhabit a
space with my work. To show the viewer their inner feelings that they didn’t
know they were experiencing. I do this most efficiently through the artwork
involving my dad.

This past year I’ve been involving my dad slowly into my
artwork and now am involving him into every project I do. He got in a car
accident before I was born leaving him with permanent brain damage. In summary
he lives in an Alzheimer’s unit in Lincoln, and doesn’t know Lauren Brown exists.
He used to be a well-known artist in Texas and can barely copy a coloring book
line drawing. He remembers up to six months before his accident and sadly I was
born a little over a year after it happened. Through my experiences of getting
to know this man, I have found emotions within myself deeper than anything else
I have felt. I like to create art that I think of while meeting him or feel
when I’m thinking about him because it brings the most passion and emotional
work I’ve ever created.

In summary I do art parallel to why I breathe. I do it
for myself; the skills I build and the emotions I expose. I do it for others to
share my gift and have other experience an emotion. Lastly I do it to remember
my dad, and share what he’s unintentionally taught me with the world.