Young artist makes waves in Rockland
Local young artist Laura Boutin, with her oil painting created to look like an abstract body of water. (Photo courtesy Arts @Work)
Boutin incorporated lots of texture by using a series of palette knives and her hands to manipulate the paint gesturally and expressively to resemble crashing waves. (Photo courtesy Arts @Work)
Boutin’s painting installed at the patrons residence in Massachusetts. (Photo courtesy Arts @Work)
Local young artist Laura Boutin, with her oil painting created to look like an abstract body of water. (Photo courtesy Arts @Work)
Boutin incorporated lots of texture by using a series of palette knives and her hands to manipulate the paint gesturally and expressively to resemble crashing waves. (Photo courtesy Arts @Work)
Boutin’s painting installed at the patrons residence in Massachusetts. (Photo courtesy Arts @Work)
ROCKLAND — Laura Boutin (Class of ’19 Oceanside High School) typically paints on a smaller scale, but decided that stretching her own large canvas and working on a larger scale would present a more experimental way of painting for her.
It paid off when a family visiting the area fell in love with the scale and beauty of her painting that was displayed at Rock City Café this winter. The family recently purchased her work to display at their home in Massachusetts.
In 2017, Boutin enrolled in the Arts @Work Studio Art and Mentorship Program, a program offered by RSU13 Adult and Community Education. Since its launch 2 years ago, Program Leader Alexis Iammarino has worked closely with Oceanside faculty to promote this out-of-school studio arts opportunity.
Arts @Work has actively partnered with host site Center for Maine Contemporary Art's ArtLab, the Flanagan Community Center, and Rock City Café.
This yearlong program introduces local high school students to professional practice in the arts. Designed specifically for high schoolers, it aims to deepen artistic learning, enhance student portfolios, and introduce the skills and practices of community art, studio arts, and arts administration. Students develop an independent project that is at the core of their studio work and local mentors are matched based on project goals and interests.
“I’ve been so impressed with the scope of the work and commitment that young artists are bringing to their independent work. It’s important to credit Laura with this success –– she is a strong example of a student who fully appreciated and leveraged the resources made available through these rich partnerships and this continued mentorship,” said Iammarino, in a news release.
Boutin plans on investing her proceeds from her sale into her continued education.
“I’m definitely inspired to keep selling my artwork…knowing that this is something that came from me and my creativity.” she said, in the release.
Laura is currently at work on an even larger abstract forest landscape in this series.
Arts@Work is an offering of RSU13 Adult and Community Education with support from the ANONIMO Foundation and the Center for Maine Contemporary Art, and is instructed by Mentor Artist, Alexis Iammarino.
For more information rasaartsinaction@gmail.com.
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