CHICAGO-BASED ARTIST MAKES HOME IN POMPANO BEACH
Professional mixed-media artist and new Pompano Beach resident, Lara Venema, can’t remember a time in her life when art wasn’t at the center of her activities. As a young child she remembers filling a blank canvas with samples and fabric scraps from her mother’s work as an interior designer. Growing up in the Chicago suburb of Westmont, she was surrounded by her mother, aunt and grandmother, all of whom were artists.
“My love of art began at a very young age,” recalled Lara. “I was always encouraged to practice drawing, painting and experimenting with different media.”
She took art classes in middle school and participated in art programs throughout her education. When visiting her aunt in Colorado, they would paint together in watercolor and ink, but the young Lara was always drawn to acrylic because of the bright and easy to mix colors. “I’ve always been too impatient for oils,” she quipped.
In 2011, Lara entered Columbia College in Chicago to earn a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree.
Today, this 31-year-old emerging artist is gaining rapid popularity throughout Florida. She debuted her work this season at a number of art festivals, including in Boca Raton, Coconut Grove and on Las Olas. Her unique and one-of-a-kind women-themed pieces drew in buyers mesmerized by her creative use of such materials as real butterflies, Swarovski crystals, disco balls, vintage CDs and cassette tapes.
Emphasizing that she never applies live butterflies, Lara explains that using the natural butterflies is a way to preserve and honor them. “Butterflies have such a short life span, and using them in my pieces is a way to preserve them,” she explained, adding that other objects, such as CDs and cassette tapes, are mementos of her own upbringing.
Making people smile and experience joy are the goals behind Lara’s creation of strong women with “bling.” “I like to use disco balls because they represent happiness and the celebration of life,” she said, adding that she also chooses materials as a way to recycle them and give them a purpose.
Featuring only women is another strategic direction for this bold, emerging artist. “I enjoy showcasing women empowerment and creating fun, relatable scenes,” she said. “Plus, women are just more fun to paint than men and I can add a lot of bling to a female portrait.”
Her exposure to Florida has inspired her to incorporate more elements, such as water, flamingos, and unicorns into her pieces. “Watching people being drawn into our booth with the shiny objects and bling was fun,” recalled Lara about her shows in Florida. “People told me that they’d never seen anything like my work and that it made them happy.”
Lara and her husband, Winn Soldani, plan to continue to spend winters in their Pompano Beach home. Winn grew up in the community, is a graduate of Pompano Beach High School.
When the couple returns to South Florida this fall, Lara’s first stop will be Spectrum/Red Dot Miami, where she has been accepted to exhibit in early December as part of Art Basel and the 2024 Miami Art Week. In the interim, her work is on display at https://www.laravenema.com/artwork and on Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/laravenemaart/) and Facebook https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100063620264871&sk=about
