Lauren Doolittle Ossolinski '82
Written December 2014
When the spring flowers emerge, the summer sun shines on a Cape Cod beach, or the fall foliage bursts with color, you are likely to find Nashville artist Lauren Doolittle Ossolinski '82 with her oil paints and collapsible easel, working outdoors in the “plein air” tradition. Lauren, who is the featured artist for the 2015 Harding Art Show, explains that plein air painting is about capturing a moment in just one sitting of perhaps 30 minutes. “You have to paint quickly because the light is changing constantly,” she says.
Come winter, Lauren can be found working in her studio--a spare bedroom in her home—often using photographs for inspiration. Since she doesn’t have to rush, she has the opportunity to paint on larger canvases and return for several sittings.
Variety among the settings, seasons, and subjects of her work is important to Lauren, as is the individuality and creative integrity of each painting. When she is preparing to show her work, she may need to produce 50 to 70 paintings, and the challenge is supplying the right quantity and diversity of pieces without quashing the creative spark. She feels connected to her artwork—and to the people who seek it. “If you bought a painting from me, I will remember you and I will remember what painting you bought,” she says.
Lauren’s artistic sensibility goes back to when she was a child taking art classes, doing crafts, and making gifts for family members. She says, “As a little kid I was always looking for creative outlets.” Harding was a perfect fit. She remembers attending the art show—where her mom was a volunteer for several years and also served as show chair—and having art classes with Carol Chambers. “Harding is a school that really values art,” she says, noting that her children’s creativity was nurtured there, too; son Harry ’12 is a musician and daughter Eliza ’14 is a dancer.
Lauren went on to attend Harpeth Hall and then Southern Methodist University in Dallas, where she majored in communications and advertising, with a minor in art and English. She worked as a copywriter for ad agencies in Washington, D.C., Memphis, and Nashville before shifting gears to become a full-time parent.
She had long dabbled in oil painting, but it was a course in plein air technique about ten years ago that started her painting “in earnest.” Soon she was seeking to get into galleries and to participate in art shows. Harding’s was her first, and it was both a validation of her work and a meaningful connection to the school she loves. “To get juried into the show eight years ago was a very big step,” she says. She’s been in the show ever since and is thrilled to be the featured artist this year. “It’s so exciting for me,” she says. “It’s a huge responsibility—and a great motivation to do well for the school.”
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Come winter, Lauren can be found working in her studio--a spare bedroom in her home—often using photographs for inspiration. Since she doesn’t have to rush, she has the opportunity to paint on larger canvases and return for several sittings.
Variety among the settings, seasons, and subjects of her work is important to Lauren, as is the individuality and creative integrity of each painting. When she is preparing to show her work, she may need to produce 50 to 70 paintings, and the challenge is supplying the right quantity and diversity of pieces without quashing the creative spark. She feels connected to her artwork—and to the people who seek it. “If you bought a painting from me, I will remember you and I will remember what painting you bought,” she says.
Lauren’s artistic sensibility goes back to when she was a child taking art classes, doing crafts, and making gifts for family members. She says, “As a little kid I was always looking for creative outlets.” Harding was a perfect fit. She remembers attending the art show—where her mom was a volunteer for several years and also served as show chair—and having art classes with Carol Chambers. “Harding is a school that really values art,” she says, noting that her children’s creativity was nurtured there, too; son Harry ’12 is a musician and daughter Eliza ’14 is a dancer.
Lauren went on to attend Harpeth Hall and then Southern Methodist University in Dallas, where she majored in communications and advertising, with a minor in art and English. She worked as a copywriter for ad agencies in Washington, D.C., Memphis, and Nashville before shifting gears to become a full-time parent.
She had long dabbled in oil painting, but it was a course in plein air technique about ten years ago that started her painting “in earnest.” Soon she was seeking to get into galleries and to participate in art shows. Harding’s was her first, and it was both a validation of her work and a meaningful connection to the school she loves. “To get juried into the show eight years ago was a very big step,” she says. She’s been in the show ever since and is thrilled to be the featured artist this year. “It’s so exciting for me,” she says. “It’s a huge responsibility—and a great motivation to do well for the school.”
Inspiring The Mind • Nurturing The Spirit