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LAURA ELLSTROM

1/9

DRAWING

PAINTING

DIGITAL ART

PHOTOGRAPHY

OTHER WORKS

Everything in its own season. I'd had a bit of a different arrangement for this one at one point, but once I came across the phrase 'states of becoming' it all just sort of clicked and came together pretty swiftly after that. Spring felt like the perfect inspiration, too, as we slough off the last vestiges of winter to make way for new growth pushing up from the soil. People, relationships, empires: they all exist in states of becoming 🌱 and un-becoming

In Season [Flux]
analog collage
2026

Everything in its own season. I'd had a bit of a different arrangement for this one at one point, but once I came across the phrase 'states of becoming' it all just sort of clicked and came together pretty swiftly after that. Spring felt like the perfect inspiration, too, as we slough off the last vestiges of winter to make way for new growth pushing up from the soil. People, relationships, empires: they all exist in states of becoming 🌱 and un-becoming

In Season [Flux]
analog collage
2026

The other day I got to stop by my @934fest mural over on 3rd and decided I should probably get some actual detail shots of it. There's a lot that, looking through these photos, I wish I could fix. However, I had only about a week of painting time to finish this, and got started as soon as I got back from a trip to Portland and California. I also rebuilt the fence that was included in my mural space. Additionally, I challenged myself to only use pre-existing paint either from the garage, my own personal stores, or oops paint from a local shop. I regret this choice slightly in that I ended up literally painting myself into a corner as I ran out of certain hues to then touch-up certain areas, but as a last-minute fill-in, I feel pretty proud of what I accomplished with the constraints I was working within.

This piece is about the war on Pal3stin3 specifically, but the ironic use of dove and olive branch extends to the condemning of ALL wars. May the unconscionable widespread extinguishing of countless human souls incite righteous anger in us all. ✊🏻 #liberationforall #nooneisfreeuntilweareallfree #muralist #artmakescolumbus

The other day I got to stop by my @934fest mural over on 3rd and decided I should probably get some actual detail shots of it. There's a lot that, looking through these photos, I wish I could fix. However, I had only about a week of painting time to finish this, and got started as soon as I got back from a trip to Portland and California. I also rebuilt the fence that was included in my mural space. Additionally, I challenged myself to only use pre-existing paint either from the garage, my own personal stores, or oops paint from a local shop. I regret this choice slightly in that I ended up literally painting myself into a corner as I ran out of certain hues to then touch-up certain areas, but as a last-minute fill-in, I feel pretty proud of what I accomplished with the constraints I was working within.

This piece is about the war on Pal3stin3 specifically, but the ironic use of dove and olive branch extends to the condemning of ALL wars. May the unconscionable widespread extinguishing of countless human souls incite righteous anger in us all. ✊🏻 #liberationforall #nooneisfreeuntilweareallfree #muralist #artmakescolumbus

By happy accident, I got the opening date for the new exhibition coming to the Toledo Art Museum wrong and so instead of driving up from Columbus, we stayed local so I could have a chance to check out the utterly stunning show by @teneehart at @934gallery. Absolutely blown away by the symbolism and materials and the way one is directed through the gallery space. I highly recommend stopping by while it's up if you have the chance! Here's some pictures I took this afternoon.

By happy accident, I got the opening date for the new exhibition coming to the Toledo Art Museum wrong and so instead of driving up from Columbus, we stayed local so I could have a chance to check out the utterly stunning show by @teneehart at @934gallery. Absolutely blown away by the symbolism and materials and the way one is directed through the gallery space. I highly recommend stopping by while it's up if you have the chance! Here's some pictures I took this afternoon.

Been working on this collage for a while now, patiently waiting for the right elements to come to me and congeal - at least that's my personal approach to collage. With the help of a neighbor's leftover seed catalogues, I finally had the flowers to adorn the skull in the bottom left corner; a revisitation of an older magazine brought me the words in the smallest fonts. The background? Why that's not but a humble shopping bag I chopped up.

Death and rebirth are themes that continue to show up in my work [classic Scorpio amirite]. Rich florals always remind me of Dutch Baroque vanitas paintings, reminders that this life is fleeting so we must enjoy its fullness while it lasts. The constant raining of destruction and reign of cruelty by the current US regime leaves me constantly heart-sick, so I have to guard hope like a soggy matchstick on a breezy night. If we cannot imagine that there is some future worth planting seeds for, how will we ever have anything to aim for?

The poem reads:

These beings belong to no one and no place.
What will happen when we finally decide the type of world we could be living in?
What's next?

Tomorrow, There'll Be Sun
Analog collage
2026

Been working on this collage for a while now, patiently waiting for the right elements to come to me and congeal - at least that's my personal approach to collage. With the help of a neighbor's leftover seed catalogues, I finally had the flowers to adorn the skull in the bottom left corner; a revisitation of an older magazine brought me the words in the smallest fonts. The background? Why that's not but a humble shopping bag I chopped up.

Death and rebirth are themes that continue to show up in my work [classic Scorpio amirite]. Rich florals always remind me of Dutch Baroque vanitas paintings, reminders that this life is fleeting so we must enjoy its fullness while it lasts. The constant raining of destruction and reign of cruelty by the current US regime leaves me constantly heart-sick, so I have to guard hope like a soggy matchstick on a breezy night. If we cannot imagine that there is some future worth planting seeds for, how will we ever have anything to aim for?

The poem reads:

These beings belong to no one and no place.
What will happen when we finally decide the type of world we could be living in?
What's next?

Tomorrow, There'll Be Sun
Analog collage
2026

A sketchbook page of deer relatives from around this time 3 years ago. I had just lost our cat Fizzgig and then had my hysterectomy a few days after that; I don't remember much from this season as the emotions were quite heavy

A sketchbook page of deer relatives from around this time 3 years ago. I had just lost our cat Fizzgig and then had my hysterectomy a few days after that; I don't remember much from this season as the emotions were quite heavy

Valentine's Day felt like the perfect time to remember to post some detail shots of my mixed media drawing Amor Sui, from my show with @934gallery last year. Latin for 'self love', this piece depicts a trans masc Cupid figure in an embodiment of tenderness. While this holiday is typically focused on romantic love, I wanted to bring an often overlooked love to the surface. When we approach ourselves with acceptance and compassion, we leave less room for others to have power over us.

Swipe to see a different angle highlighting the shine of the gold paint on the curls and top surgery line

#protecttransrights #cupid #amorsui #valentines #queerart

Valentine's Day felt like the perfect time to remember to post some detail shots of my mixed media drawing Amor Sui, from my show with @934gallery last year. Latin for 'self love', this piece depicts a trans masc Cupid figure in an embodiment of tenderness. While this holiday is typically focused on romantic love, I wanted to bring an often overlooked love to the surface. When we approach ourselves with acceptance and compassion, we leave less room for others to have power over us.

Swipe to see a different angle highlighting the shine of the gold paint on the curls and top surgery line

#protecttransrights #cupid #amorsui #valentines #queerart

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