Lori has been a recognized artist for decades. She discovered from an
early age that she possessed an uncanny ability to inspire trust in all
manner of living things. The joys of this realization are apparent
throughout her works. She learned that her art could open the doors to
her most cherished dreams and has sold paintings and taught art classes
since she was 13 years old to finance her passions. Her artistic
endeavors allowed her to purchase a horse she loved and fully support
it. Today she is still an avid horsewoman and has found it is one of
the passions that nourish her creative process.
Lori was born in Pasadena, CA and received her formal art
education through California State University Long Beach. She earned a
Bachelor’s in Art with an emphasis in printmaking. She indulged in
countless blissful hours on the beach reveling in the openness and
immense power of the sea. The influence of the ocean and the daydreams
it inspires are apparent in her early paintings. Relocating to the
Colorado Rockies expanded her repertoire to include the beauty of the
nature she found all around her. Lori possesses an unrivaled talent
to appreciate her surroundings and incorporate them in her creations.
Lori was not drawn to the commercial art world, instead
preferring to be as independent as possible. She created Dandelion
Press as an avenue to share her paintings in cards and prints on her own
terms and retain her flexibility and freedoms. She steadfastly held
on to her originals, only selling reproductions. After 26 years of
delicately balancing artistic endeavors with the requirements of running
a business, a mutual friend introduced her to Dianne
Borsini-Burr. Dianne’s expertise and warm support have allowed Lori to
focus exclusively on the creative aspects that bring her such
joy. This partnership has been extraordinarily rewarding. In
collaboration with Dianne, Lori has released her first beautiful book,
Reflections
of the Heart. She enjoyed selecting her personal favorite
pieces, encompassing years of creativity. An eagerly anticipated
children’s book with original illustrations is in development. Lori has
discovered a newfound freedom to indulge in her passion and spends many
hours a day in her Rocky Mountain studio exploring new ideas.
Artist's Statement:
I sit in
my studio some days thinking I must be the luckiest woman in the world
to be here right now… I am making the choice between whether a
particular shabby chair in a tree tea party should have a monkey sitting
in it or a bear and what color the tea cup should be and whether the
animal is reading a book while participating, or not wanting to
participate in the tea party at all…or if the book is needed desperately
to support the chair so it won’t topple over and fall out of the tree…
This is my work; this is my world. It is the perfect place for me. It
is a story. Yes, that painting tells a story. They are really only the
story of my life… a child’s unlimited imagination that didn’t have to
grow up. I choose to do it my way. Every day I go up to my studio and
simply say, “Now, wouldn’t it be fun if…” - Lori Preusch
BRUSH
The Fable of the Sable - The Artist’s Touch
Each wondrous painting by Lori Preusch starts out the same way. With a dream, a vision, and a planned escape into that all captivating world of the inner child.
But before Lori can open the door to that world, she takes something special from this one. A simple, sable brush. It was never designed for the harsh acrylic paints she uses…let alone the rough canvas that it dances on stroke after stroke.
Yet, with it she blends precision with dexterity, which allows her to create the subtle soft tones in a polar bear’s protective embrace or the gleam and light that shines from the rainbow of colors surrounding a child.
By carefully layering hue upon hue, Lori begins to build each story as it unfolds before her, letting the paintings become what they want to be.
And, by the end of the day, this once soft, silky brush is all frazzled and worn from use.
Yet, laying in an old wooden box in the corner of Lori’s studio is another 3 ot sable brush…just waiting for the day it is chosen to luminate the canvas and bring to life one more treasured memory of a world where anything is possible…and everything is magical.
