Artist's Statement
I paint to connect people: connect us with one another, connect us with our communities and natural space, connect us across differences and borders. I create opportunities for people to see one another, to be seen, and feel our common humanity. I paint my community- family, friends, and neighbors- to celebrate their lives, challenge oppression, and inspire a more just world. Love drives my work. Color, patterns, and texture excite me. Connecting with people brings me joy.
Artist’s Bio
Lauren Vargas paints the people and spaces in her community and life. She uses a multi-media process involving spray paint, acrylic and oil paints, and collage to create images that celebrate people and patterns.
Lauren was born in Canada and grew up in the suburbs of Denver, CO. When she was given a set of tiny colored pencils on her second birthday, she ignored all her party guests to draw instead. She devoured art classes at her high school and local community college. She went on to study fine arts and urban studies at the University of Pennsylvania. Her full time work has been in the field of education, first as a high school math teacher and instructional coach, and now as a consultant and writer. You can find out more about her education background here.
She lives with her husband and two daughters in North Philadelphia, seeking to be in community with the people with whom she teaches, works and worships. Because of the history of discrimination and redlining, her community is often portrayed poorly in the media. It is often rated as one of the places to never buy a home or visit in Philly because of the (coded racist language) “danger.” In one series of her paintings called “Wingohocking/Good Neighbors,” she celebrated the people, actions and places overlooked by the media and general public. Showing the work in her immediate community, the show was packed with neighbors, predominately youth.
While she is a certified K-12 art teacher, Lauren’s primary art teaching experience took place in the context of after school programs for middle and high school youth. As a community artist, she taught semester-long classes in drawing, painting, and silkscreen. Lauren interned with the Mural Arts Program for one mural in South Philadelphia. She has since painted murals for the Hunting Park recreation center and Esperanza Health Center in Kensington. She continues to design and facilitate community creative projects that focus on youth or serving her community on a project-by-project basis.
Lauren is the recipient of two Leeway Foundation Art and Change Grants. She has twice participated in Art in the Open Philadelphia and trice participated in Souls Shot. Her work has been shown at the Philadelphia Sketch Club, Abington Arts Center, the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, Third Street Gallery, and the Center for Emerging Visual Artists.
