Meet Laura Kwok | Artist & Muralist

We had the good fortune of connecting with Laura Kwok and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Laura, we’d love to hear about how you approach risk and risk-taking

So many good things have come to me in life from getting out of my comfort zone and taking a risk. Before I became an artist, I received a degree in English Literature and Education. Right after graduation, I traveled to Hong Kong for a family vacation to attend my uncle’s wedding. While I was there, I interviewed for a teaching position at a local school. I decided to forfeit my return ticket and wait in Hong Kong to see if I had secured the job while my family returned back home to Canada. I did get the teaching position so instead of staying in Hong Kong for 1 month, I ended up staying there for 1 year. My time in Asia was full of new experiences and explorations, and throughout that year I started drawing and creating again for myself. It also made me realize that I didn’t really want a career in Education, and that art was my true passion. 

With newfound confidence, I returned back to Canada and without any art credentials, I started looking for a job in the creative field. Ironically, I landed a position teaching at a local art studio because of my Education degree. I would teach art during the day and paint for myself into the night, motivated by the joy of creating. After 2 years, I decided to take another risk and quit my 

job to pursue my art full time. I had no real plan (and no back-up either), but I had resolutely chosen to give myself 4 full months to see where my art could take me. Of course, I had saved up enough money to make this happen, and I would reassess after these 4 months to see whether I needed to find a new job, or whether I could make an artistic living for myself. There were of course people who raised concerns and questioned my decisions at the time, but I’m definitely glad I didn’t listen to them and just stuck with what I felt was right for me. 

That was back in 2014 and I’ve been a self-employed freelance artist ever since. It’s been almost a decade full of various risks and surprises, and I can wholeheartedly say that I wouldn’t be where I am today if I hadn’t taken those first steps and jumped head first into my artistic journey. 

I’ve learned that listening to my inner voice and staying true to myself is the most important because that produces the most natural and genuine artwork – and everything else just follows. 

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?

I started my company Art + Soul Creative Co. with the purpose of sharing my joy of creating with others. The name is of course a play on words, and to signify the fact that I put all my “heart and soul” into my artwork. Although I started out printing my illustrations on greeting cards and selling paper products, I didn’t want to be limited by one medium or mode of creation. I love to explore and experiment with watercolour, acrylic, and most recently oil painting. Regardless of what I am doing, it will always be centred around celebrating creativity.

Some artists are known for one very specific style or medium. I used to think I should stick to one aesthetic (and I’m sure my career would have been totally different if I had), but I’ve since learned that that piece of advice doesn’t quite work for me and I would get way too bored. I have my own wild and whimsical “Laura Style” which I’ve come to embrace as very versatile – for example, I’ve done textile, ceramic, and product design, custom illustration work, and finally, creating large-scale public artwork on buildings. My penchant for translating my art into different settings has led me to mural painting, which is 80% of my commissioned work at this current time. Over the years, I have enjoyed designing for different spaces like restaurants, lounges, daycare centres, and even operation rooms in a hospital! 

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to? 

If you’re asking me for an itinerary you will probably be disappointed because I’m not one for planning – I’d rather go with the flow and see what happens.

If I was to really plan a trip, it would be away from the city and crowds, to truly rest and rejuvenate. British Columbia (the province where I live), and Canada in general is filled with so much natural beauty to be explored. A perfect day for me would be sitting by a rushing river or glacial lake with a sketchbook, climbing up a mountain, or crawling into a cave. Joffre Lakes Provincial Park is always one of my favourites – I first camped there in high school with “The Outdoor Club”, and it was the most serene and gorgeous area filled with turquoise lakes and towering glaciers. Nowadays, the instagram-selfie crowd has taken over and a day permit is required to control the onslaught of humans, but I like to go in September when it’s quieter, and the lakes are covered in mist and still retain a magical aura. 

Vancouver is really good for trying different fusion foods though and close by, the City of Richmond (where I live) has a plethora of Asian cuisine. There are also gardens and parks in the city that are gorgeous to visit and really showcase the changing seasons of the Pacific Northwest with blooming flowers and perennial plants. It’s a beautiful place to live – I can’t complain! 

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to? 

There are so many people who have been a part of my artistic journey over the years and I couldn’t have done it without them – my family who has come to accept that I will just always “do my own thing”, my partner who keeps me inspired and fed, my friends who support me mentally and physically (often assisting at my mural sites), my volunteers who offer their time and enthusiasm, and my clients and shop owners who trust me with their projects and share my artwork with the world! 

An extra special credit goes to my grandparents, Howard & Winnifred, who loved me unconditionally throughout my youth, and were shining examples of people who cared for others

endlessly and persevered through life’s obstacles with style. When I was younger, my grandfather gifted me with a classic stone seal with my name engraved in rose quartz (Chinese artists often used these seals to imprint their name on a painting). My aunt Ivy told me recently that my grandfather had intentionally got it custom-made, believing that one day I would become an artist, and that I would need it to sign my paintings when I grew up. Both my grandparents passed away shortly before I started my freelance journey but they saw the potential of who I would be in the future, and are undoubtedly a huge part of who I am today.

Website: www.LauraKwok.com

Instagram: www.instagram.com/artandsoulcreativeco

Others: Shop’s website – http://www.artandsoulcreativeco.com/

Image Credits
“The Ladybug and the Sun” Mural 2020, shot by Hubert Kang