Meet Laurie Laun, one of the local artists in Sunnyshore Studio’s upcoming Christmas on Camano show that opens Saturday, December 7.
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Laurie has practiced art throughout her life, including early study at the Chicago Art Institute. While raising her family and earning several college degrees including an MBA, she served for many years as an executive at high tech companies. In her travels to over 30 countries Laurie has become informed by many artistic cultures: she mastered batik in Java, aboriginal dot painting in Australia, mulberry paper-making in Fiji, wood engraving and block printing in Singapore and haiku poetry in Japan. She lives on beautiful Camano Island, where she paints with a focus on exuberant color and graphic form.
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Last Christmas Laurie donated her miniature collection to Jenny. Laurie was downsizing. She knew Jenny loved miniatures and was still collecting. You will see her beautiful miniatures on the windows at the Studio during the Christmas show. Thanks Laurie!
We caught up to Laurie and asked her a few questions:
Sunnyshore Studio: What is a favorite Christmas tradition?
Laurie: A favorite annual Christmas tradition in our family back in the day, starting in 1973, was for the ladies and the kids to drive around the byways of Camano Island to our favorite spots to pick wild rose hips. Then we came back to Mom’s house and sat in front of the fire with a hot cup of eggnog. With needle and thread, we beaded the lovely red hips on long garlands to hang up in the kitchen to dry for tea.

Sunnyshore Studio: What is Christmas to you?
Laurie: Christmas to me, is about gathering…
Gather: to bring together into one group; to harvest; to collect one’s energies and ……. for all to say, Happy birthday to Jesus.

Sunnyshore Studio’s Christmas show opens on Saturday, December 7, 10am-5pm, and runs through Saturday, December 14, 10am-5pm. Learn more here.