My name is Lara Flinn-Summers. I reside in the northern portion of Jacksonville Florida. I began drawing around the same time I learned my alphabet, encouraged by one of my favored uncles who was a rather gifted artist. I began to really study art in high school and began to see it as more than a hobby. After graduating I attended the University of Central Florida where I was lucky to have stumble upon an amazing art program that stressed knowledge of the principles and disciplines of art. I did not learn much about technique until I went off to college. I found the drills, the gestures, and focus on measurement more than helpful. I was shown methods like those of Hale that I feel drastically improved my work. It was there that I first took painting because it was the only studio class that would fit my schedule. Painting was not something I was thrilled about studying. My attempts to that point had never yielded any work I would let see the light of day. However this time around I was taught how to use the tools of painting, and how the medium works. I am so hooked now I find it hard to work without paint. In 2002 I graduated with a BFA degree in Fine Art, with an emphasis on painting.

My technique is much inspired by my painting professor in that it blends drawing and painting. I generally start with a sketch and layer the work with paint and drawing media until it reaches a point that feels finished. I let my source material dictate what media will be prominent, to the point some become pure paintings, and on rare occasions drawings. I try to use whatever tools will help me best describe the image on paper. I have been executing my current body of work for a very long time now . I find the figure to be an excellent subject for further exploration of technique. I still am not quite at the level I think I am capable of yet. My next addition to this this body of work will be to experiment with different scales and canvass sizes, and adding non figurative subjects in to my work. I get a lot of inspiration and critique from online groups such as Deviant Art and Breed Art. I find that having others artists around keeps my brain and my fingers moving. I am currently looking in to the option of getting my MFA trough a low residency program. I crave more of a class room atmosphere , but none of the schools in my area offer advanced degrees in fine art. In the mean time I have been offered an opportunity to teach drawing and painting through local photography studio, which I am very excited about. With the less funding for the arts in public schools I feel a real need to share all that I know with as many artists as I can, and inversely see what gems they can open my eyes to.