About The Artist
Laura Balboni Happy Event Art
For Laura, painting in front of an audience feels familiar and right. Her degree is in performance of classical music, so spent much of her life enjoying being on stage. Now that she is a full time fine artist, she combines both worlds with her on site wedding and event painting.
In June 2016, Laura won 1st place in the All Cape Cod Show, CAC, for her pastel, "Island Fury" and 2 weeks later won the Frank Swift Chase Excellence in plein air HM award, Nantucket Arts Association. She is a member of Pastel Painters Society of Cape Cod and winner of art awards including the Kees Verkade, Boston Scholastic Art and Dr. Ann Wang award. She has also recieved the Daughters of the American Revolution Award, Xerox Humanities, and a Citation from Governor Dukakis for excellence in the arts.
Laura grew up in both North Easton, and Brewster MA. She trained as a classical musician at an early age, performing in New England Conservatory's youth orchestra as assistant principal viola and honors quartet program, and the prestigious National Honors Orchestra at the Kennedy Center, Washington DC. She received her BA in Viola Performance from Peabody Institute of Music, Johns Hopkins University, and performed in viola sections for Sessione Senese Chamber orchestra in Sienna, Italy, as well as orchestra performances in Finland, Spain and Canada. She also studied fine art at Maryland Institute of Art and Rhode Island School of Design, as well as the Pulido Studios and John Kilroy Fine Art Academy.
Laura's background in viola greatly enhances the rhythm, dynamics, color and texture of her art. An example of her viola playing is on YouTube, J.S.Bach Suite 3, June 6, 2013 in preparation for a concert at the cape cod cultural center. Her major influence is Botticelli and favorite composer is Johannes Brahms.
Laura is a HyArts Artist in Hyannis, hosting occassional figurative painting sesssions at Guyer Art Barn, Hyannis, MA. Her work is mainly displayed at the 820 Main Gallery, Rt. 28, Harwich Port MA, and is guest artist at Chapman Gallery, Cotuit, MA. Laura is currently a faculty member at Cape Cod Conservatory for both viola and fine art since 2011.
Laura Balboni Craciun
Fine Art