Hi there!
I am Laura Baran
I’m an award-winning New York-based figurative painter, illustrator, and live event artist.
I use she/her pronouns.
After nearly 30 years in New York City, getting to live and work on Lenape land, now I live with my family in Ithaca, NY, creating on Haudenosaunee / Cayuga Nations ancestral land.
I specialize in:
I’m also a figurative expressive painter, playing with colors and lines. My artwork conjures vibrant, autobiographical depictions that harmonize towards emotional empathy.
I have experience teaching art, which is also rewarding, both as a painting instructor, and less formally with creativity workshops.
CV
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2010 BFA in Illustration, Fashion Institute of Technology, cum laude
2003 The Illustration Academy, Virginia Commonwealth University -
2023 - current Meatpacking District, Watercolor painting classes en plein air, in Chelsea Market, Gansevoort Plaza, and Little West 12th Street, Manhattan, NY
2016 - 2020 Private art instruction, Brooklyn and Manhattan, NY
2013 - 2015 The Painting Lounge, Acrylic painting techniques, Brooklyn and Manhattan, NY
2009 - 2023 Arts & Dreams, Creativity workshop leader teaching acrylic and watercolor painting, collage, mixed media, drawing, and fabric painting, Brooklyn, Manhattan, and Queens, NY -
2014
The #1 Best Movie Poster of 2014, Time Out New York magazine
2003
Effie Bowie Award for Excellence in Painting, Society of Illustrators, New York, NY
Scholarship to the Illustration Academy, Society of Illustrators, New York, NY -
Luxury Brands
La Mer — Louis Vuitton — Monrowe for the Met Gala — Sergio Hudson x Monrowe for New York Fashion Week
Luxury Retailers
Bloomingdale’s — Macy’s — two : minds NYC — Saks Fifth Avenue — Ippolita Boutique Madison Avenue
Hospitality and Travel
The Standard High Line Hotel — Prosper Urban — ZICO Coconut Water
Publishing
Hay House — HarperCollins — Mango — The Nation — 4th Row Films — Mariame Kaba — L. Joy Williams for Sunday Civics on SiriusXM — Balboa Press
New York City Business Improvement Districts
Meatpacking District — The Hudson Yards Hell’s Kitchen Alliance
Other
AT&T — Boris & Horton — Jacadi Paris — The New York Embroidery Studio — NYU Writing Faculty -
2025
Goodbye Summer, All Street Gallery, curated by Edy Castro, New York, NY
The National Arts Club Roundtable Exhibition, The National Arts Club, New York, NY (invited artist)
2024
Materials of Solidarity, Asian/Pacific/American Institute at NYU, curated by Nadine Fattaleh, New York, NY
2023
The Factory Holiday Art Market, Artist Alley at South Hill, Ithaca, NY (invited artist)
The Factory Art Market Sprinkle, Artist Alley at South Hill, Ithaca, NY (invited artist)
2022
Sergio Hudson SS22, featuring Monrowe collab, New York Fashion Week, Spring Studios, New York, NY
2021
Drawing From Life, Hamilton Street Gallery, Bound Brook, NJ
2020
Self Portrait, Serving the People (STP), curated by Lucien Smith, online
Celebration, WomensWork.Art Gallery, Poughkeepsie, NY
2019
Cultivate Hell’s Kitchen, MC Gallery, New York, NY
The National Arts Club Roundtable Exhibition, The National Arts Club, New York, NY (invited artist)
2018
Serving The People (STP) Group Show, curated by Lucien Smith, Milk Gallery, New York, NY
Talking ‘Bout Art Generation, Bushwick Generator, Brooklyn, NY
2017
As I Am, Sager Reeves Gallery, Columbia, MO
2016
August Show, 17 Frost Gallery, Brooklyn, NY
The Fridge Art Fair, Angel Orensanz Foundation, New York, NY
Are You, Are You Not, 81 Christopher, New York, NY
2015
Bushwick Open Studios, New York, NY
Runners Up Group Exhibition, The Greenpoint Gallery, Brooklyn, NY
Winter Grand Salon, The Greenpoint Gallery, Brooklyn, NY
2013
Winter Exhibit, Sager Reeves Gallery, Columbia, MO
2009
Art Bazaar, Lyons Wier Gallery, New York, NY
Everybody, Envoy Enterprises, New York, NY
We Have Our Musics, Envoy Enterprises, New York, NY
2007
Crooked Mirror, Envoy Enterprises, New York, NY
Summer Seething, Envoy Enterprises, curated by Laura Baran, New York, NY
2003
ICON3: The Illustration Conference, The University of the Arts, Philadelphia, PA
Juried Illustrators Academy Student Exhibition, Anderson Gallery, Richmond, VA
Student Scholarship Exhibition, Society of Illustrators, New York, NY -
2025
Or Maybe Not Podcast, Co-host
2024
Get Vote Ready: Your Essential Voting Journal by L. Joy Williams, Cover and interior illustrations
Sunday Civics on SiriusXm with L. Joy Williams, Episode 260: “Get Vote Ready,” Podcast interview
The Nation, Scenes of Protest: New York by Laura Baran
Meatpacking BID, Look Up! Laura Baran’s Banner Designs
The District Tea, Fall, Summer and Spring Editions, Meatpacking BID, Cover and interior illustrations
2023
Meatpacking BID, Unleashing Creativity with Laura Baran in the Meatpacking District
2022
Vogue, Sergio Hudson Spring 2022 Ready-to-Wear (images)
Harper’s Bazaar, The Most Memorable Moments from Day Three of New York Fashion Week (images)
E!, New York Fashion Week Sergio Hudson (images)
The New York Times, Scoring in the Shadow of the Super Bowl: Altuzarra and Sergio Hudson (images)
Elle, The Best Looks From New York Fashion Week (images)
CNN, From Kamala Harris to Beyoncé, Sergio Hudson dresses women in charge (images)
ABC News, Model legends walk Sergio Hudson's NY Fashion Week runway (images)
The Hollywood Reporter, NYFW: Sergio Hudson Debuts Safari-Themed Fall Collection in Pastels (images)
2021
The Bound Brook Chronicle, Hamilton Street Gallery’s Exhibition “Drawing From Life”
2020
Good Food From Far and Wide, zine by Mariame Kaba (illustrator)
Real Estate Rescue, Mango (illustrator)
2019
Mantras In Motion, Hay House (illustrator)
2018
Office Magazine, Serving the People of New York
Purple Diary, Lucien Smith & STP “Group Show” Exhibition at Milk Gallery (images)
GEN, Gene Variant in Amish a Clue to Better Aging (illustrator)
2017
Anyone Who’s Anyone, HarperCollins (illustrator)
Columbia Daily Tribune, Seeing the Light
The New York Times, How to Interview a Celebrity Like a Celebrity (images)
Real Simple, The Best New Books to Read this Month (images)
Vanity Fair, Celebrity Q&A Veteran George Wayne Explains the Difference (images)
2016
Rose’s Summer of Arts & Dreams, Balboa Press (co-author, illustrator)
2014
Time Out New York, The 30 Best Movie Posters of 2014 (work recognized as the #1 best movie poster of 2014)
Indiewire, Exclusive: Gorgeous Hand-Painted Poster for Robert Greene’s “Actress”
MUBI’s The Notebook, The Best Movie Posters of 2014 (images)
The Playlist, 20 Best Movie Posters of 2014 (images)
Slant Magazine, 10 Best Movie Posters of 2014 (images)
Apartment Therapy, Allison’s Silver Lake Charmer with a View
The Huffington Post, Bushwick’s Street Art and Trendy Shops (images)
2013
Columbia Daily Tribune, Works in PS:Gallery’s Winter Exhibit Let Viewers Gaze into Artists’ Process, Personality
2012
Time Out New York, Dear Bushwick Review (images)
2009
Miniature Garden, Book of Houseplants, Printed Matter
2006
Opium Magazine, Interview with Painter Laura Baran
2005
Elle, April 2005 (images) -
2009 - 2023 Arts & Dreams, Fiscally-sponsored NYC empowering arts organization
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2012 American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (AFSP), member of the Board of Directors, New York City chapter
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2024 - current Bees & Watermelons, Global mutual aid collective, Volunteer
Artist statement
I respectfully acknowledge the Haudenosaunee people and all traditional owners of the territories where I walk, live, and create, currently on Cayuga Nation land. I pay my respects to all First Nations elders past, present, and emerging.
photo: BrakeThrough Media
My work is grounded in healing, both for myself and people around me. I co-founded Arts & Dreams, an arts organization about creativity, self-love, and hope. I volunteer with Bees & Watermelons, a global mutual aid group, and have served on the Board of Directors for the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention's Chapter in New York City.
I make a lot of autobiographical art as a process of growth and as a mirror to our times. Like a visual heartbeat for liberation movements.
photo: Kara Mia
My creative practice is an act of imagination and rebellion. I remain in solidarity with those who are oppressed, and stand with people in Gaza, Congo, Sudan, and Yemen.