Lauren Anabela
She/They
Springfield, MA, USA
“Lauren Anabela (she/they) is a Salvadoran-born artist and craft educator, and has been steering their creative journey as the sole proprietor of Creative Dexterity since 2007.
Immersed in a diverse range of artistic disciplines, they found purpose in metalsmithing and jewelry making, where curiosity and problem-solving intertwine through the power of expressive adornment. Embracing their self-coined identity as a “morbid softie,” Lauren Anabela’s work crafts a balanced collection of sardonic critiques to playful daydreaming — “This creative processing has allowing me to find beauty and purpose amid life's complexities while embracing growth through the lessons learned along the way.”
Lauren Anabela currently resides in Western Massachusetts, where they are an active studio artist and shares their expertise in metalsmithing through teaching.”
“Lauren Anabela is a fusion of my adopted and birth names. Born in El Salvador and having lived most of my life in the United States, I found creating, especially fabricating with my hands, a natural way to express myself and honor my heritage. Creating keeps me grounded while feeling part of two worlds.
As a transracial adoptee, my journey has been profoundly shaped by my perspective and has fueled my creativity, centering on my voyage of exploring nature versus nurture through nostalgic reflection, optimistic daydreaming, and, at times, sardonic commentary on world absurdities.”
How does your work relate to the theme of restoration?
“While I’d love to say all of my creations found purpose of adornment, I do have a few “misfits” in my collection that are over a decade old. I’ve held onto them because they still had potential, especially with a level-up reclamation with a different but familiar material.”
"The Living of the Dividing Pair" Lauren Anabela
How does your creative practice allow you to restore (renew, return, reclaim, recover)?
“A first instinct would have been scrapping my misfits, especially with precious metal prices nearly tripled from a decade ago, but that felt like a disservice. Most of my creative and daily practices revolve around challenging my innovative curiosity through rePurposing; especially when commodities become scarce or unaffordable.”
As a queer+, artist, what do you see can be, needs to be, or cannot be restored?
“With a little persistence most tangible things can be restored. I love a good life hack and rePurpose.
What I believe, especially as an American, needs to be restored is reflective thinking along with access to collaborative collective(s) around activism, social program education etc.; otherwise we’ll remain trapped in echo-chambers while everyone’s civil liberties (continue to) diminish. What the bourgeoisie fear most is a restored (educated) united class. Also our connection (restored accessibility) with nature.
With the exception of time (or concept of) a capitalist system cannot be restored.”
Photographs Courtesy of the Artist
Anything else you would like to share about this work? This can be an important part of the process, sourcing materials, or research.
“America (thanks to capitalism) has become an over consumption, throwaway society. We’re losing our sense of innovative curiosity for repair and repurpose. I originally made these earrings mid 2010’s, the middle of my metalsmithing journey and industrial forms phase. Lately I’ve been going “back to basics” and revisiting materials and techniques I set aside.
One of the first jewelry pieces I ever made, aside from an elbow macaroni necklaces, was a necklace made from seed beads, which I still have 25 plus years later. I also had an abundance of various beads I had collected for years that were tucked away in my closet; awaiting their purpose.”