YOUR ARTISTS IN SAN ANTONIO (CONT'D)

The two most important things in my life are God and family. Having faith and love captures the beauty of life around us. Family is a special gift from God. It is who we are and where we came from. Nature captures the essence of creation of beauty, of the landscapes, and for every blossom there is hope, peace, and love. I have a Bachelor's degree in Art from the University of Texas, San Antonio. I enjoy creating styles slightly derived from the Flemish and Victorian era of paintings. In the Flemish style, vibrant, localized colors are emphasized. In the Victorian style, the accent and harmony of colors as well as the way the subjects are positioned on the canvas are clearly seen on many of my floral and still life paintings.

Mary Veronica Kampen Laskowski is an artist living in San Antonio who has been painting since she was seven. Her vivid works of art are created through a variety of mediums including watercolor, oil, pen and ink, pencils, pastels, and mixed media. Currently, her method of using acrylics makes the canvas look like an oil painting. She enjoys creating pieces that are expressive of the creation around us.

Her hope is for you to find joy and relaxation in a cheerful colorful piece of art for years to come.

Sophia Arnold is a 23-year-old artist; she is originally from Southern California but moved to San Antonio three years ago. "I spend the majority of my free time outdoors, which grew into a deep love for nature. I wasn't sure if I wanted to pursue being an artist until the Covid-19 pandemic began. I started to water myself and let go of the mental limitations I placed on myself. I share my love for nature, self-growth, and spirituality through my art." Many of her works depict the beauty in women inspired by her own journey through life. 

Maha Mhareb is a Palestinian artist based in San Antonio. Her expertise blossomed from her passion as a self-taught artist who has been creating art for over 40 years. She taught art classes for 15 years while she lived overseas to share her love for art with others while helping them discover their own gifts. Her artwork is fueled by the loved ones surrounding her; she says they give her work a heartbeat as she cultivates it. Mhareb expresses her feelings and emotions through abstract artwork.
 

A San Antonio native and self-taught artist, honoring her skills in acrylic pours, alcohol inks, and resin art since 2015.  Her artwork is influenced by nature and her travels, mainly landscapes and waterscapes. Europe and Hawaii ignited her love for ocean art, and today she enjoys creating the realistic movements of the ocean waves. She creates abstract art in hopes that each piece fosters human connection. It provides an opportunity to be vulnerable by allowing each person to see and feel whatever they want. As a result, it brings her joy to hear the various interpretations of her work. 

Sidra Hassan-Brown is a fine artist with a flair for Islamic and Ethnic art. She is the daughter of an immigrant mother from Pakistan who arrived in the United States in late 2002 with her brother and a desire to create beautiful things. Sidra takes inspiration from her cultural roots and spends mornings, afternoons, and evenings crafting visual depictions of nature, people of color, veterans of the United States Armed Services, movie art, and Muslim thematic content. Sidra holds a Bachelor’s degree in Accounting and Illustration and a Master’s degree in Business Administration from St. Peter’s University. She is an Army wife, a full-time accountant, and mother to a ragdoll cat named Neo. Sidra resides with her husband, Christopher, in San Antonio, Texas. 

Taylor S. Monroe is a contemporary artist currently residing in San Antonio, Texas where he has lived since 2009. Before moving to Texas, he lived in Milwaukee, Wisconsin as well as his hometown of Ithaca, New York. He also lived and exhibited in New York City where he found many artistic opportunities. Monroe graduated in 2018 from Texas State University with his Bachelor’s degree; during his time as a student, he began pursuing his career as a freelance artist and musician. He had his first gallery display in San Marcos, Texas, and from there, his work was published in his university’s art magazine, Persona. He was then offered his first solo show in San Antonio at the Weston Centre in early 2019. Following the success of this show, his work was chosen by the Montclair Art Museum in New Jersey for their annual auction, Art Uncorked. In August 2021, his digital art was chosen to be included in an upcoming coloring book project for social media entrepreneur, Fashionlush. In addition, he also regularly works on commission pieces for private clients and exhibits in venues across San Antonio.

“Seven years ago, I found my passion for painting when my fiancée gave me a wooden easel, a canvas, and a set of acrylic paints. As a musician, I had been aware of my synesthesia, but when I started painting, I was able to put brush to canvas and create a representation of what it brought to life inside my head. When I start a new piece, I choose a specific song, artist, or genre to listen to while I work, and I allow the music to guide my vision for each piece. My synesthesia dictates the colors and patterns within each painting. I paint on a vast range of canvas sizes, and I work with a multitude of tools to create textures and layers of impasto. I also work with other mediums including digital art, photography, and charcoal.”