When and how did you start making art?
“As a self taught artist, my art path started while in emotional and physical recovery from surviving an airplane crash.” Getting out frustration from both physical pain and post traumatic stress through creativity was something I felt would help. I went into an art store and got acrylic paints, brushes and canvas, and started painting. I started by painting abstracts in the mid 1990s. I also played with textures and found it fun and freeing. Then after meeting other artists by visiting exhibits, I had the honor of painting with them. We would often paint together at my home studio. They helped me get the confidence to start to show my work in juried exhibits as I then moved into what I call statement art. I created a creature I call a “Newt”, and featured it as a character, amongst others, that helped me present my views on social issues. I feel strongly about mental health issues, government corruption, veterans and women’s rights. My paintings sadly continue to be relevant today. I continue to branch out and have had the honor of winning many awards and being in the books, A Creative Place The History of Wisconsin Art by Lidtke and Sawkins and Miracles of The Spirit by Krug and Parker. I have paintings in UW-Green Bay’s Lawton Gallery Private Collection and the Neville Public Museum Private Collection. I am still playing with paint and have gone back to playing with textures, along with still doing glazed acrylic. Painting is my joy and I am grateful to my children, other artists and friends who have been so generous with sharing their experience to help me move forward on my own artistic adventure.
What inspires your work?
I am still inspired by society and the Earth and all it has to offer us. I am still doing abstracts, highly textured pieces that I paint using only toothpicks and a palette knife and statement art because they challenge me.
How would you describe Green Bay/NE Wisconsin’s arts community?
The art community in this area has grown over the years. There is a great deal of talent in this area. Hopefully, it stays open to all types of art and artistic expression as the creative process is personal and highly intuitive.
What is the best advice you have for other artists?
Art is your personal intuitive journey. It’s the extension of your own internal process. Paint for yourself. Enjoy the process and journey — that is truly where the joy is.
Where can people find your work?
My home is my gallery. I do post some photos of my work on my Facebook Page, Lori Jae.
Artist Angle is presented in partnership with The Art Garage, a Green Bay nonprofit arts organization whose mission is to encourage an appreciation for and participation in the visual, performing and literary arts. Learn more about The Art Garage at theartgarage.org.