biography
Laurel Izard is an award-winning artist who exhibits her artwork throughout the country. She currently lives and works in Michigan City with her artist husband Edwin Shelton and two cats. She received a BA from Northern Illinois University, with majors in art and anthropology, and a MFA in ceramics from the University of Wisconsin-Madison.
After college Izard and her husband started a ceramic business called Izwin, and wholesaled colorful whimsical tabletop wares to galleries, boutiques, and department stores throughout the country. After twenty-three years of self-employment, she taught art in numerous after-school and summer programs. Her art-teaching career culminated in nine years as art instructor at Marquette High School.
Currently she works part time as the education coordinator at the Lubeznik Center for the Arts and creates art full time. Her philosophy as an artist and teacher is that an integral part of being human is to be creative and continues to teach others how to discover their inner artistic resources.
mixed media artist statement
Making art, for me, is both a meditation and dialogue with the materials and the elements of art. I make art of some kind every day because it feeds me emotionally and spiritually. My studio environment is filled with a large assemblage of artworks, rocks, fossils, pottery, and old lunchboxes that have been collected over the years. Collecting has influenced my work beyond visual cues and such things, as vintage books, ephemera, and old textiles become the materials in my work. I am a collector of images as well and have over 50,000 images of art, science, science fiction, quilts, animals, artists work and you name it stored on Pinterest. My background in anthropology has always played a big part in my art, and interest in how we see the world physically and spiritually. My work has been exhibited in galleries, and art centers all over the country, and I have won awards along the way.
A fascination with sewing and textiles started as early as I could hold a needle, but I never really considered it as my main art making material until 2011. Since then, I have spent hours creating small intensely embroidered images loosely based on the archetypes of the tarot. The Pandemic has been the time of the quilt as I have produced many art quilts that portray endangered animals and express my feelings about the state of the world. Now I have an even better excuse to collect old quilts and exotic fabrics.
selected juried and invitational exhibitions
| 2022 | sustainABILITY, New England Quilt Museum in Lowell, Massachusetts |
| 2021 | 4th Midwest Open, Woman Made Gallery, Chicago, Illinois |
| The Valdosta National, Valdosta State University, Valdosta, Georgia, (online exhibition) | |
| Small Works Big Talent, Las Laguna Gallery, Laguna Beach California, (online exhibition) | |
| 2021 All Women Artist, Contemporary Art Gallery Online, (Online exhibition) | |
| Animal? Mineral or Vegetable? 2D National Juried Exhibition, Dallas Metro Arts Contemporary, Dallas, Texas | |
| Bridgeport Art Center 9th Annual Art Competition, Bridgeport Art Center, Chicago, Illinois (catalogue) | |
| 12th Annual 10 x 10 x 10 Tieton, Tieton Arts and Humanities, Tieton, Washington (catalogue) | |
| 78th Annual Salon Show, South Shore Arts, Munster, Indiana (Suzanne Cooley Memorial Award) | |
| Art Prize, Atwater Brewery, Grand Rapids, Michigan | |
| Words Fail, SAQA Virtual Gallery | |
| Uncommon Threads: Fiber – Quilting – Weaving Art, San Fernando Valley Arts and Cultural Center, San Fernando, California-Online Exhibition |
| 2020 | Found Again, Ohio Craft Museum, Columbus, Ohio |
| Circles and Cycles, SAQA Regional Show, Marathon Center for the Performing Arts, Findlay, Ohio | |
| 11th Annual 10 x 10 x 10 Tieton, Tieton Arts and Humanities, Tieton, Washington (catalogue) | |
| Small Works Show 2020, Core New Art Space, Denver, Colorado | |
| Wild Things, Cultural Center of Cape Cod, Cape Cod, Massachusetts, virtual exhibit, https://www.cultural-center.org/wildthings | |
| A Common Thread 2020, Textile Center, Minneapolis, Minnesota | |
| Local at LCA: 40th Anniversary of the Area Artists Association, Brinka Gallery, Lubeznik Center for the Arts, Michigan City, Indiana | |
| 25 Million Stitches, Verge Center for the Arts, Sacramento, California | |
| Color My World, Area Artists Association virtual show, https://www.areaartistsassociation.org |
| 2019 | Small Works Big Talent, Las Laguna Gallery, Laguna Beach, California |
| The Best of 2019, Ohio Craft Museum, Columbus, Ohio | |
| The Crow Show, The Studio Door, San Diego, California | |
| 30 Years of QSDS, Dairy Barn-Chaddock Morrow Gallery, Athens, Ohio | |
| Speaking of Fibers! Stories of Importance, Missouri Fiber Artists, Morton J. May Gallery, Maryville University, St. Louis, Missouri | |
| Chesterton Women’s Club Show, Chesterton Art Center, Chesterton, Indiana | |
| Endangered, St. Louis Artists Guild Galleries, St. Louis, Missouri | |
| Small and Smaller, Site: Brooklyn, Brooklyn, New York |
| 2018 | The Best of 2018, Ohio Craft Museum, Columbus, Ohio |
| Art of the Book, Gallerie Renee Marie, Benicia, California | |
| Celebrating Women, Location 1980, Costa Mesa, California | |
| Art From the Heartland 2018, Indianapolis Art Center, Indianapolis, Indiana | |
| 10 x 10 x 10 Tieton, Tieton Arts and Humanities, Tieton, Washington | |
| The Fool’s Journey Through Life, The Studio Door, San Diego, California (catalog) | |
| 64 Arts Exhibition, Buchanan Center for the Arts, Monmouth, Illinois | |
| Art Comp 2018, Chesterton Art Center, Chesterton, Indiana | |
| Craft Forms 2018, 24 International Juried Exhibition of Contemporary Fine Craft, Wayne Art Center, Wayne, Pennsylvania | |
| The Dark Arts II, Squid Ink Online Gallery | |
| Critters II, Artless Bastard, LaPere, Wisconsin | |
| FASA 44th Annual Juried Fiber Art Exhibition, Say Si, San Antonio, Texas |
| 2017 | Small But Mighty, Christopher Gallery, Prairie State College, Chicago Heights, Illinois |
| 2017-Tiny Monsters, Fe Gallery, Sacramento, California | |
| Michiana Annual Art Competition, Box Factory for the Arts, St. Joseph, Michigan. (Merit Award) | |
| Art: The Language of Community, Life Force Arts, Chicago, Illinois | |
| Global Murmurs, Textile Society of America, Times Square Building Gallery, Rochester, New York (catalog) | |
| 74th Annual Salon Show, South Shore Arts, Munster, Indiana (catalog) | |
| Illiana Artist’s 17th Regional Juried Exhibition, Chesterton Art Center, Chesterton, Indiana (First Place) | |
| Fiber Artists of San Antonio 43rd Annual Juried Fiber Art Exhibit, Kelso Art Center, San Antonio, Texas |
recent group exhibitions
| 2022 | Threads, Christopher Gallery, Prairie State College Chicago Heights, Illinois |
| 2021 | Color My World, A Virtual Area Artist Association Gallery Show |
| 25 Million Stitches, Verge Center for the Arts, Sacramento, California | |
| Collaboration 2021, John James Audubon Museum, Henderson, Kentucky | |
| A Common Thread 2021, Textile Center, Minneapolis, Minnesota | |
| A New Beginning, Chesterton Art Center, Chesterton, Indiana | |
| Members Show, Chesterton Art Center, Chesterton, Indiana |
| 2020 | A Common Thread 2020, Textile Center, Minneapolis, Minnesota |
| Local at LCA: 40th Anniversary of the Area Artist Association, Brinka Gallery, Lubeznik Center for the Arts, Michigan City, Indiana |
| 2019 | A Common Thread 2019, Textile Center, Minneapolis, Minnesota |
| The Artist’s Narrative, Indiana Welcome Center Gallery, Hammond, Indiana | |
| Threads of Life, The Rising Phoenix Gallery, Michigan City, Indiana | |
| International Women’s Day Exhibition, The Nest, Michigan City, Indiana | |
| The Illustrated Accordion, KBAC Gallery, Kalamazoo Book Arts Center, Kalamazoo, Michigan | |
| 5 x 5 at the Depot, The Depot Gallery and Museum, Beverly Shores, Indiana | |
| Fiber Art, Artspace Uptown Artist Lofts, Michigan City, Indiana | |
| Layering, Laurel Izard and Edwin Shelton, Chesterton Art Center, Chesterton, Indiana |
| 2018 | A Common Thread 2018, Textile Center, Minneapolis, Minnesota |
| Deliberate Strokes, Valparaiso Art House Gallery, Valparaiso, Indiana | |
| Artist Journey, Marshal J. Gardner center for the Arts, Miller Beach Arts and Creative District, Miller Beach, Indiana | |
| Material Culture, Nipsco Education Studios, Lubeznik Center for the Arts, Michigan City, Indiana | |
| 5 x 5, The Depot Gallery and Museum, Beverly Shores, Indiana | |
| 2018 CSA Valpo Preview Exhibition, South Shore Arts at the Artful Garden, Crown Point, Indiana | |
| Fold! Staple! Riot! The Oilwick Gallery, Indianapolis, Indiana | |
| 10 x 10, Blink Contemporary Art, Michigan City, Indiana | |
| Vessel, A Group Exhibition, The Depot Gallery and Museum, Beverly Shores, Indiana | |
| Regional Impressions, Chesterton Art Center, Chesterton, Indiana |
| 2017 | Curio Cabinet Exhibition, Indianapolis Art Center, Indianapolis, Indiana |
| Poetry Without Words, Chesterton Art Center, Chesterton, Indiana | |
| Open Studio Exhibition, Summer Educator Micro Residency, Flagg Hall, University of Illinois, Champagne, Illinois | |
| Regional Reflections Indiana Welcome Center Gallery, Hammond, Indiana | |
| 10-Inch Masterpiece, Thaddeus C. Gallery, LaPorte, Indiana |
recent solo exhibitions
| 2021 | Laurel Izard: Robots and Dinosaurs, SFC Gallery, Michigan City, Indiana |
| 2020 | On the Edge: Quilts of Endangered Animals, Art Barn School of Art, Valparaiso, Indiana |
| 2019 | Embroidering the Imagination, Work by Laurel Izard, Art Barn School of Art, Valparaiso, Indiana |
| 2018 | World and Work of Laurel Izard, The Rising Phoenix Gallery, Michigan City, Indiana |
| 2016 | Laurel Izard, Riverwalk Gallery, Box Factory, Saint Joseph, Michigan |
| 2015 | Goddesses and Aliens, Nipsco Gallery, Lubeznik Center for the Arts, Michigan City, Indiana |
| 2014 | Embroidered Archetypes, Brinka/Cross and North View Galleries, Lubeznik Center for the Arts, Michigan City, Indiana |
awards and grants
| 2021 | Suzanne Cooley Memorial Award, 78th Annual Salon Show, South Shore Arts, Munster, Indiana |
| Tri Kappa Associates Award, Chesterton Women’s Show, Chesterton Art Center, Chesterton, Indiana | |
| 2020 | Best of Show, Small Works Show 2020, Core New Art Space, Denver, Colorado |
| 2019 | On-Ramp 2019 Fellowship, Indiana Arts Commission |
| Brian Lonsway Award for Humor in Craft, Best of 2019, Ohio Craft Museum, Columbus, Ohio | |
| Merit Award, Chesterton Woman’s Club Art Show, Chesterton Art Center, Chesterton, Indiana | |
| 2018 | Second Place, Art of the Book, Gallerie Renee Marie, Benicia, California |
| 2017 | First Place, Illiana Artist’s 17th Regional Juried Exhibition, Chesterton Art Center, Chesterton, Indiana |
| First Place, Fiber Artists of San Antonio 43rd Annual Juried Fiber Art Exhibit, Kelso Art Center, San Antonio, Texas | |
| Merit Award, Michiana Annual Art Competition, Box Factory for the Arts, St. Joseph, Michigan | |
| 2015 | Renee & Sam Denmark Memorial Award, 72nd Annual Salon Show, South Shore Arts, Munster,Indiana |
| 2011 | Second Place two-dimensional work, Lakefront Art Festival, Lubeznik Center for the Arts, Michigan City, Indiana |
publications
| 2020 | 10x10x10 Tieton, A Juried Exhibition of Art (catalogue) Tieton Arts and Humanities, Tieton, Washington |
| September Artist of the Month Pan-O-Ply Story and Art Michiana, panoplymichiana.com | |
| “A Life of Imagination and Creativity”, Linda Weigel, The Beacher, Volume 36, Number 45, November 12, www.thebeacher.com/pdf/2020/BeacherNov12.pdf | |
| Brush it UP, Area Artist Association Interview: https://vimeo.com/486612126 | |
| Five Woman’s Works Feature in Christopher Art Gallery’s Online Exhibit Entitled Threads, Jessi Virtusio, Daily Southtown, Chicago, Tribune, December https://www.chicagotribune.com/suburbs/daily-southtown/ct-sta-ent-prairie-threads-st-0101-20201222-guffqu6ioredlmdmt5rotruz2i-story.html | |
| 2018 | 10x10x10 Tieton, A Juried Exhibition of Art, (catalogue), Tieton Arts and Humanities, Tieton, Washington |
| 2017 | Global Murmurs Exhibit (catalogue) Textile Society of America, Times Square Building Gallery, Rochester, New York |
| 2016 | Urban Murmurs Exhibit (catalogue) Textile Society of America, Times Square Building Gallery, Rochester, New York |
| 10x10x10 Tieton, A Juried Exhibition of Art (catalogue) Tieton Arts and Humanities, Tieton, Washington | |
| 2012 | “Carve it Up”; Cloth Paper Scissors, March/April 2012, issue 41 |
professional experience
| 2019-20 | Education Coordinator, Lubeznik Center for the Arts, Michigan City, Indiana |
| 2019 | Docent for Exhibitions, Lubeznik Center for the Arts, Michigan City, Indiana |
| 2019 On-Ramp Creative Entrepreneur Course, May 10-12, Nashville, Indiana | |
| 2016 | Artist Section Committee, Art Space, Michigan City, Indiana |
| Regional Initiative Grant Panelist, Arts Operating Support, Region 1, South Shore Arts, Munster, Indiana | |
| 2007-16 | Visual arts teacher, Marquette Catholic High School, Michigan City, Indiana. |
| 2015 | Art Journaling, Visual Arts Class at The Lubeznik Center for the Arts, Michigan City, Indiana |
| Gelli Plate Printing, Visual Arts Class at The Lubeznik Center for the Arts, Michigan City, Indiana |
| 2010 | Quality Assurance Team member, AdvncED review of North Side High School, Fort Wayne, Indiana |
| 2004-09 | Art Instructor for the Northwest Athletic Club. Michigan City, Indiana. |
| Ceramics Instructor for the clients of Michiana Resources, at the Lubeznik Center for the Arts, Michigan City, Indiana | |
| 1982-2004 | Co-owner and designer for Izwin Inc., Producing handmade whimsical earthenware products for the home |
education
| 2008 | Transition to Teach Program, Indiana Wesleyan University, Marion, Indiana |
| 2005 | Master Practitioner of Neurolinguistic Programming, SCS Matters, LLC Holistic Alliance, St. Joseph, Michigan |
| 1981 | Master of Fine Art, Ceramics, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin |
| 1979 | Bachelor of Arts, Art and Anthropology, Northern Illinois University, DeKalb, Illinois |
