Ever since I can remember, St. John’s has been a part of my life. My dad was the head Johnnie bread baker at St. John’s dining service for over thirty years, and because of his work, the campus always felt like home to me. I grew up knowing the grounds, meeting some of the monks, and often welcoming international students into our home when my dad invited them over during summer breaks. By the time I was sixteen, I was already working in dining service as part of the Blue Crew in the dish room, continuing there through my first year of college. With my oldest brother and sister both having attended the College of St. Benedict, it felt only natural that I would follow the same path.
When I graduated from ROCORI High School, I knew I wanted to pursue art. At first, I imagined myself becoming an art teacher and began with an art education track. My semester abroad in Salzburg, Austria shifted my plans. After reflecting on what I wanted from my time in college, I decided to focus entirely on studio art and declared art as my major.
Early in my studies, I discovered my love for painting. In Joe Sinness’ Introduction to Two Dimensional Arts and Color Theory, I began to understand my creative direction. Soon after, in my first painting class with Elaine Rutherford, I found a mentor who recognized my strengths and pushed me further. She guided me toward my love of thick, expressive paint and helped me discover my style. My work often took the form of fragmented portraits spread across separate canvases, pointing toward my later fascination with the idea of smaller parts coming together to create a larger whole.
I took every art class I could, immersing myself in painting, drawing, and design, and learning from some of the most dedicated professors I could have hoped for. When I graduated with an emphasis in painting, I was unsure where my degree would take me, but I knew that my education had prepared me well.
After graduation, I was honored to be chosen as the first Post Baccalaureate Artist in Residence at CSB and SJU. For a year, I mentored students, worked as the woodshop technician, and had my own on campus studio to continue developing my art practice. That experience helped bridge the gap between being a student and stepping into the professional art world.
From there, I began working at the Paramount Center for the Arts in St. Cloud, first as Studio Manager and later as Curator. I learned the ins and outs of ceramics, glaze mixing, and kiln maintenance, while also building strong connections with artists across the region. During this time, I also joined the Central Minnesota Arts Board roster of teaching artists, bringing art residencies into schools and organizations such as Anna Marie’s Alliance. Sharing art as a form of expression with people who might not otherwise have access to it quickly became one of my passions.
It was at the Paramount that I first discovered mosaics, an art form that would eventually become central to my career. I was part of several community public art projects, including a concrete mosaic sculpture in downtown St. Cloud and a glass on glass mosaic at the St. Cloud Hospital. The moment I began piecing glass together, I felt an instant connection to the medium. The act of uniting small fragments into a larger, meaningful whole resonated deeply with me. It was both metaphorical and expressive in a way painting could not fully capture.
I owe so much of who I am as an artist to my education at St. Ben’s and St. John’s and to the professors who guided me. They laid the foundation that allowed me to grow into the artist I am today.
That discovery opened new doors. In 2018, I completed an artist residency in Jamestown, North Dakota, teaching elementary students while creating mosaics of my own. Over the years, I took on commissions while continuing my work at the Paramount, but in 2020, the pandemic brought me to a crossroads. I chose to step away from my role as curator and fully dedicate myself to mosaic art.
Five years later, that decision has brought me to where I am today: exhibiting nationally, creating large scale public artworks throughout Minnesota, and continuing to teach and bring art into my community. Being a full time artist is challenging and ever changing, but it has been the most rewarding path I could have taken.
Looking back, I realize that my younger self never imagined this life was possible. Yet every step, from working in dining service, to painting fragmented portraits in college, to discovering mosaics, has brought me here. I owe so much of who I am as an artist to my education at St. Ben’s and St. John’s and to the professors who guided me. They laid the foundation that allowed me to grow into the artist I am today.
Laura’s artwork will be on display in the Benedicta Art Center September 5, 2025 – October 10, 2025