Lauren Markham

Lauren Markham was born in 1989 in Montgomery, Alabama. She discovered her love for art as a child and got serious about pursuing her craft in high school, under the wing of her art teacher, Jim Gunter.

She went on to obtain her Bachelor of Fine Arts in painting from Savannah College of Art and Design.

After graduating from college, Lauren felt directionless, isolated, and fearful. Seeking more immediate financial rewards, she gave in to societal urgings to get a “real job” in which she could put her creative skills to use in a marketable manner. She decided to learn graphic design.

Lauren went to work at Simply Put Paper & Gift in Atlanta, Georgia, and found an amazing mentor in company founder Ashley Woodman. There, she learned the ins and outs of graphic design, individualized customer service, and operating a boutique business. A few years later, she took the hands-on experience she’d gained at Simply Put to her new position as Senior Graphic Designer at Nashville’s Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum, where she continued to learn and grow as a graphic designer.

By July of 2021, Lauren had grown more confident in her ability to operate independently. She took a leap of faith and left the Museum to pursue her own path as an artist and entrepreneur. She now works as a freelance graphic designer and fine artist, doing work that she loves on her own terms.

Today, Lauren continues to seek out new sources of inspiration, expand her horizons, and push her artistic limits. Fascinated and awed by the history of artists before her, she is ever honing and sharpening her artistic voice. With each painting she is excitingly challenged with realism, twodimensional elements, and the relationship among form, space, light, and color. Each new work represents an adventure and an opportunity to test out new techniques, explore uncharted artistic territories, and venture into new realms of craftsmanship and emotionality.

Lauren is now exhibiting her work within the Nashville area. She teaches at Monthaven Arts & Cultural Center February through May and can be found painting or drawing in her studio everyday. With every brush stroke, she arrives at a better understanding of herself and the world around her – and her journey has only just begun