In addition to being a huge plant nerd and outdoor recreationalist, Laura Vallo has been busy rediscovering her love of painting. Laura graduated from Kansas State University with a Masters in Landscape Architecture and a minor in Horticulture. She moved to Colorado Springs after graduation but still needed more mountains, ultimately leading her to Telluride. Unfortunately, after a wrist injury in June 2019, she had been avoiding anything artistic since drawing and writing for long periods of time left her hand cramped. However, with a lot of newfound free time, Laura decided to let go of expectations and ease back into painting. To her surprise, she has found that holding a brush with a lighter grip allows her to paint for much longer, so Laura has been embracing the cathartic energy of creating art!
We asked Laura a few questions:
What are you watching?
I’m not really big on TV but occasionally I’ll turn on the office while I paint!
What are you reading?
Staying Alive in Avalanche Terrain
What are you listening to?
A lot of NPR. I usually wake up with Up First and listen to some Planet Money podcasts throughout the day. I also love 99% Invisible!
Any projects you're currently working on?
My goal for shelter in place was to paint 21 paintings! I’m currently starting #20, which is an image from a ski tour up Tomboy Road.
What has changed for you? (besides the obvious)
Being able to get back into art and spend a lot of time dedicated to that! It’s been so nice!