Laurie Buman

I am a Chicago-based artist best known for mixed media pieces that often combine digital technology with traditional mediums such as: pastel, acrylic, wax, gold leaf and photography. The work is rooted in my personal search for the sacred and divine that is frequently found in the indigenous cultures and rituals of Mexico.

My approach is to create pieces layered with meaning beyond the obvious. Every component and image within each work has its own unique history. I purposefully combine them to tell a greater story that transcends the physical and touches the spiritual.

This body of work is my way of bringing light into the darkness. It is inspired by long-held beliefs of Mexican culture, most notably from Catholicism, and the selfless legacy of saints. Through these pieces, I humbly attempt to reflect upon social issues that affect the most vulnerable among us today.

In my "Awakening" series, I forever capture the ephemeral beauty of Spring blossoms and the ever-changing landscape. The intense Prussian blue adds depth and drama to the work, while my addition of spices, pastel, charcoal, marker, acrylic and watercolor add layers of texture and complexity. As I continue to explore the boundaries of this traditional medium, I deli...

Milwaukee Institute of Art & Design

2024—Patrician Gallery, Wilmette, IL
2024—Everybody’s Gallery, Solo Show “Santos y Milagros”, Chicago, IL
2024—Boomer Gallery, “Dreams and Nightmares”, London, UK
2023—Everybody’s Gallery, “Wilson Abbey Windows”, Chicago, IL
2023—Mucho Museo del Chocolate, Mexico City, Mexico
2023—Virgil Catherine Gallery, “Myth of Memory,” Hinsdale, IL
2023—Bridgeport Art Center, “Ornament IS–Arguments On Ornament in Design,” Chicago, IL
2023—Bridgeport Art Center, “Sweet Home Chicago,” Chicago, IL
2023—The Other Art Fair, Chicago, IL
2022—Bridgeport Art Center, “Currentz,” Chicago, IL
2022—Emerge Gallery, “Piccolo,” Saugerties, NY
2022—Gallery Arte Azulejo, “Roots,” New York City, NY
2022—Van Der Plas Gallery, “Creating Art,” New York City, NY
2014—Más, “Dia de los Muertos—Una Celebración de Nuestros Antepasados,” Chicago, IL
2010—SmART Gallery, Chicago, IL
2005—Hahn Lougee, Sydney, Australia
1999—Pilsen Art Walk, Chicago, IL
1998—Jacqueline Ross Gallery, “Día de los Muertos,” Chicago, IL