Magnolia Laurie

Magnolia Laurie serves as Associate Professor of Art and Department Chair of Visual Arts at Franklin & Marshall College in Lancaster, Pennsylvania. Originally from Massachusetts but raised in Puerto Rico, Laurie maintains an active studio practice in Baltimore, Maryland while teaching at F&M. Her academic career spans over a decade with progression from Assistant to Associate Professor, reflecting her significant contributions to the field of visual arts education.

Laurie received her MFA from the Mount Royal School of Art at the Maryland Institute College of Art (2007) and her BA in Critical Social Thought from Mount Holyoke College (1998). Her educational background in critical social theory deeply informs her artistic practice which explores the complex visual vocabulary of contemporary landscapes.

Laurie's artistic research centers on the conflicting visual language of the landscapes we inhabit, examining landmarks of protection, destruction, progress, and waste. Her work investigates borders, fences, and framing devices as motifs that note division, proximity, and distance in our socially and politically divided environment. Through oil painting and drawing, she processes environmental and cultural rifts while exploring vantage points and shifting perspectives that unfold over time. Recent series like 'REWILDING' and 'In the Weeds' demonstrate her continued exploration of humanity's relationship with the natural world.

Her extensive exhibition record shows a clear trajectory toward increasingly sophisticated explorations of environmental themes and political commentary. The most recent works demonstrate a maturation of her visual language while maintaining her core interest in how humans mark and utilize land. Her paintings range from emotional saturation to restrained precision, reflecting the complex realities of contemporary environmental and social landscapes.

• Bethesda Painting Award, 3rd Place (2022)
• Howard Foundation Fellowship Finalist (2019)
• Nominee, Joan Mitchell Painters and Sculptors Grant (2018)
• Individual Artist Grant, Maryland State Arts Council (2016)
• Sondheim Artscape Prize Finalist Award (2015)
• The Belle Foundation for Cultural Development (2015)
• Mid Atlantic Arts Foundation Creative Fellow (2015)

Laurie has received significant grant support from the Maryland State Arts Council, the Belle Foundation, and the Mid Atlantic Arts Foundation. Her work has been featured in numerous solo exhibitions at prominent venues including Frosch & Portmann in New York, the Phillips Museum of Art, Hamiltonian Gallery in DC, and the Baltimore Museum of Art. She has participated in prestigious artist residencies across the United States including at the Virginia Center for the Creative Arts, Vermont Studio Center, and the Jentel Foundation in Wyoming, which have significantly contributed to her artistic development and output. Her teaching portfolio includes courses in drawing, field studies, and space & place, reflecting her commitment to experiential learning and environmental engagement.

Laurie maintains an active studio practice with recent exhibitions including 'in the thick of it' at Frosch & Co. (2024) and 'Balancing Acts' at The Peale Museum (2024). She is represented by Frosch & Co. in New York and continues to develop new bodies of work that respond to contemporary environmental and political landscapes. Her ongoing participation in group exhibitions at institutions like the Baltimore Museum of Art demonstrates her continued relevance and contribution to contemporary art discourse.