Laura Hallen, Minneapolis, Minnesota. "Strange Formula". Acrylic on plexiglass, 2017. Laura Hallen:I am a multi-media artist as well as a certified Master Gardener. The ways in which I identify myself as an artist, botanist and conservationist are manifested in my work. I mimic intricate patterns of plants by abstracting them through a variety of media, including painting, mixed media and installation.My current art is an ongoing investigation of growing and interacting with plants, understanding their usefulness in our daily lives, and creating works based on my fascination of the botanical world. I find inspiration in the history of ethnobotany, plant taxonomy, the discovery of botanical species, and the evolution of existing and fictional plants. I am focused on my own discovery of imagined species that will adapt, exist and be useful in the future.Throughout my career, I have exhibited at The Great Lakes Aquarium, The Anderson Center, The MN Landscape Arboretum, Artistry, 535 Gallery, Silverwood Gallery, Kolman & Pryor Gallery, SooVac, Fox Tax Gallery, HI Gallery, Umber Studios, and Gallery 360. I have received two MSAB Initiative Grants (2011 and 2013) and have been featured on MN Original (2010). I received my BFA in painting from the University of Minnesota in 1997, and a Master Gardener Certificate, Pro-Hort in 2006, also from the University of Minnesota.

26 x 26 in