January Artist of the Month
Meet Dottie Laughlin
WSA artist member Dottie Laughlin, views her art as part of a never-ending adventure over the last twenty-one years. From learning how to frame a canvas to selling her first painting, there was always a new experience to learn and appreciate.
Born and raised outside Chicago, Laughlin enjoyed taking art classes in college, however her career in business operations took precedence at the time. She met her husband while working at Baxter Laboratories and they proceeded to live in both the Netherlands and Australia for over eight years before returning to the U.S. Laughlin ponders, “It wasn’t until I was struggling with three young sons and a Minnesota winter that I found my way back to oil painting.” She credits much of her appreciation of art to her training as a children’s docent at the Minneapolis Institute of Art.
After moving to Boston in 2000, she continued her studies at the Danforth Museum and took classes with various Boston artists, including several years with William Bartlett an artist member of the Guild of Boston Artists. New England’s natural beauty and inspiring artists have encouraged her to paint both plein air and in the studio. Her first plein air adventure found her ten miles out to sea on Monhegan Island, and later the Hudson River Valley, New Hampshire and the warmth of the Caribbean. At home she is inspired by the flowers in her garden (her other passion), the fruit of the season and the simple items of everyday life.
The highlights of her artistic adventures are artist’s workshops, open studios and membership in the WSA. Her teaching job in the Needham Public Schools gave her the summers free to totally immerse herself in the painting process for several days at a time, including attending artist workshops. “To learn and paint with professional artists, the likes of Peter Fiori, John MacDonald, Kathy Anderson, Joe McGurl and Mark Boedges, all had an immense impact” on her artistic ability. Participating in open studios in the area suburbs gave her the experience and opportunity to show her work. As a longtime member of the WSA, she has served as a board member, treasurer and president. Her contributions to this group are immeasurable and she values “being part of an organization that supports artists and the community” as well as the lasting friendships she has made.
Laughlin has found the emergence of online painting classes during the pandemic to be incredibly helpful. She is impressed with the technical level of classes and has participated in classes by Debra Paris and Adriano Farinella. She is eager to get back to painting with others in person. “It is the experience of watching a painting unfold that is so amazing and interesting” to this artist who is very grateful for this part of her life.
