"Iris" by Laura Wattles

Watercolor artwork by Laura Wattles, creative director at the University of Arkansas – Fort Smith, is currently on display in an exhibit at the Center for Art & Education in Van Buren through July 29, with a reception slated at 1 p.m. July 10.

 

Her series, “Maidenhair: Beauty, Grace and Light,” is her exploration into portraits focusing on simple lines and loose and playful brushstrokes.  

 

Wattles said the artworks came out of a desire to find renewed joy in the process of creating art.  

 

“For many years, I worked with pencil in exacting detail and photorealism. One day, I realized that what used to be fun for me was now a chore,” Wattles said. “So I’ve spent the last few years learning to undo the precision, to let go of the fear of making mistakes, of making a bad painting, and to make painting and drawing joyful again.”

 

Wattles has worked in the Marketing and Communications Office at UAFS for five years and possesses more than 25 years of experience in the marketing field. She earned her bachelor’s degree in graphic design and illustration from Missouri State University.

 

The Center for Art and Education is located at 104 N. 13th Street in Van Buren. For more information about the exhibit, call the center at 479-474-7767.