Laura Annis

Making a living in Chicago by working in technical theater 

profoundly shaped the manner in which I approach my creative process. 

Experimenting with varied materials, tools, and techniques I combine my varied skillsets to create unique and non traditional work. Relocating to rural Wisconsin granted financial freedom and the physical space for these explorations, allowing me the time necessary to evolve my work.

I use a scroll saw to cut intricate imagery from wood, designing with as much attention to silhouette and negative space as to the subject themselves. The interconnected structures in each piece are a response to the material’s demands-but also speak directly to the thematic threads of interdependence and layered meaning. I assemble these cutouts into dimensional, sculptural paintings where the process and materials guide the outcome as much as the intention. These intricate artworks are deeply inspired by pagan folklore, nature’s cyclical patterns, and the symbiotic relationships that thrive within the natural world. Through these cutout compositions I explore themes of interconnectedness, the feminine divine, and the beauty found in both the visible and invisible elements of nature.

Ultimately, my work invites reflection on the patterns-natural, emotional, symbolic-that link us, quietly but profoundly to one another.

website: www.lauraannis.com