Too Cold For Angels

Lara was brought up in a rural environment in Pleasant Point, South Canterbury. she has now lived in Christchurch since 1993 the past 25 years in West Melton. With over 20 years' experience, she is an established contemporary artist.

Lara has produced work for galleries and sold internationally over the years but, more recently in 2017 she began an art group and taught introductory classes around the kitchen bench. The response and enthusiasm she met from the local community was overwhelming and she saw a need in others to find and nurture their creativity. This lead to a dedicated space being set up to create and teach art to others.

"Learning to paint is just like learning to ride a bike. It is a set of tools and a set of skills. Learn to apply the two and suddenly you've tapped into an inner space which wants to create." Every human being must express themselves, its our true nature to want to and theres so much freedom in that. To teach art is to offer people a chance to step away from the pressures of daily life especially while we navigate the 'new world'. It brings us into the present and we escape the stuff that clogs us up. Many years ago, an important mentor told me that our purpose is simply to touch the lives of others. That, is my mantra and the very simple philosophy behind Art West.