A Conversation with Artist Amy Lauren

Art sets the tone for how we live in our spaces and enhances our experiences within them. 

Inspired by the lush landscapes of her surroundings, Amy Lauren, the artist behind McGee & Co.’s recent collaboration, shares her interpretation of the world around her through timeless, impressionistic landscapes.  

Her work brings a sense of peace and place, adding charm, tone, and texture to the story of a home. We fell in love with Amy Lauren’s work the moment we saw it, and we are lucky to collaborate with her on a second collection, releasing on November 2nd, 2021! 

Our team got the opportunity to stop by her studio and learn more about her process, inspirations, and her pieces from the new collection. 

"There is so much value in original pieces of art. It's something that you can pass down in your family and gift to your kids or your grandkids. It can stay with you for so long."

- Amy Lauren

How did Amy Lauren Studio come into fruition? 

I started Amy Lauren Studio out of a need to be creative on my terms. I have always worked for other companies with a respective vision for creativity and expression. Still, I wanted to share my vision and interpretation of the world around me through my love of painting.  

The idea of sharing that beauty and interpretation was thrilling for me, and it felt like the thing that would be most fulfilling for me moving forward into my future destiny as an artist and creator.  

It gives me so much joy to see my art living in collectors’ homes, and the fact that the work that I create today will outlive me and be around for future generations is even more exciting. 

What feeling do you want your artwork to evoke in a home? 

Overall, I want my art to evoke the same feeling I feel in nature — an immediate sense of peace and belonging. I also want my work to bring a sense of belonging and connection to the land. Maybe it reminds the viewer of a place they had lived before or visited, and it evokes a memory that they love and want to live with forever. 

A piece of original art styled for The McGee & Co. 2021 Winter Catalogue

How do you feel that art completes an interior? 

I think that art can enhance an interior in a uniquely beautiful way. It sets the tone for how we live in our spaces and enhances our experiences within them. 

From McGee & Co.’s first collaboration with Amy Lauren, Spring 2021.

“I wanted to explore these landscapes in new color palettes that include warmer, moodier, darker, fall tones and hues for this collection.”

- Amy Lauren

Tell us more about the inspiration and process behind each piece in collaboration with McGee & Co. 

I am inspired by nature, specifically all of the landscapes and environments I have lived in over time. The inspiration for these landscapes that I created for Studio McGee is from my time living in Mississippi, Colorado, and Tennessee.  

I wanted to explore these landscapes in new color palettes that include warmer, moodier, darker, fall tones and hues for this collection. Each piece is painted on wood panel boards with acrylic paint in a very textural impressionistic style.

“Bethel and “Round Here” are taken from the community called “Bethel” that Mom grew up in as a child and that my grandmother still lives in. There are other pieces like “Long Lonely Road,” “Cocoa Breeze,” and “Legion” that are from my time spent walking around in Legion State Park. 

“Barbara’s Place” is taken from a little stream of water located by a local nursery from my hometown. It’s so pretty, and I kept driving by it and feeling the urge to snap a picture and turn it into a painting.  

“Barefoot Nights,” “Estes,” “Violet Light,” and “From the Distance” are all interpretations of landscapes that I photographed while living in Colorado. “Barefoot Nights” specifically was of the lake in my old neighborhood called Barefoot Lakes that I made into a darker night scene. 

Lastly, “August 5th” and “Away from the Sun” are from my time living in Tennessee this past year. Overall, these paintings are a reflection of what I felt and experienced while living in each state.  

A beautiful scene from our latest video of our collection with Amy Lauren

What does living beautifully mean to you? 

To me, living beautifully means finding and discovering beauty in nature and the every day and expressing that creatively through my art and my life. 

Amy’s inspiring work setting via @amylaurenstudio

What’s next for you and your art? Where can we keep up with what you’re working on? 

I think what’s next for my art is exploring other traditional scenes to paint, like still-life scenery with tablescapes, fruit, and objects in an impressionistic style. I’m also leaning into the idea of painting some interior wall murals. 

You can keep up with what I’m working on via my Instagram @amylaurenstudio or by subscribing to my newsletter via my website amylaurenstudio.com.