Conversations with Lori Gouhin

Today we’d like to introduce you to Lori Gouhin.  

Lori, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
Creatively expressing myself has always been a part of who I am. Since I was a young girl, I’ve always enjoyed cooking, sewing, decorating, crafting, art, etc. During college, I made and sold cloth dolls to earn extra money. I also spent several years creating jewelry. A few years ago, I learned the art of silversmithing by working one on one with a talented teacher in North Carolina. Although I always enjoyed painting, I lacked confidence in my ability as a painter. I suppose you could say as an artist in general. Because of this, I shied away from pursuing it for a long time.

Several years ago, I decided to devote more time to painting. I practiced regularly and noticed improvement. As I gained confidence in my ability, I also became more confident in displaying my work in our home and on social media. When others started inquiring about purchasing, I committed to honing my craft further and invested in better-quality paints and supplies. My love of painting and expressing myself through my art only grew stronger.

Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not, what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
The main challenges in my way were the ones I imposed on myself. Confidently putting myself out to the world as an artist did not come easy, nor did pricing my work. It was a lot of mental drama. Working through that vulnerability was difficult for me. Still, it was so beneficial because it helps in all areas of life. I’m proud of following through on my desire to be an artist. Despite my lack of formal training, I practiced, put myself out there, and kept going.

Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
I am a contemporary abstract painter residing in coastal South Carolina. I work primarily with acrylic paints, mixing custom colors while carefully blending each layer of paint on cotton or linen canvas. Many describe my work as ethereal and dreamlike. It is also described as giving the impression of topography and aerial views. The beauty of abstract work is that we can see and feel something different each time we experience it.

My work has been collected both internationally and throughout the United States. Many of my collectors have more than one of my paintings in their homes which makes me incredibly grateful.

Risk-taking is a topic that people have widely differing views on – we’d love to hear your thoughts.
I consider myself a risk-taker. I suppose you can say I adhere to the philosophy that there is no reward without risk and that life happens on the other side of your comfort zone.

When I think about taking significant risks in my life, a couple of times come to mind. One was when my husband and I decided to purchase a sporting goods store and relocate it to an old trolley garage that we had renovated. Another would be when we sold everything and relocated from Pennsylvania to South Carolina sixteen years ago with our three young daughters. We didn’t know a soul, didn’t have jobs, began homeschooling, and created an entirely new life.

I believe that we all have a unique vision of our best self and that we owe it to the world to make sure that person emerges.

My work reflects the intuition and emotion I feel as I strive to create the best version of myself.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.lorigouhin.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lorigouhin/

Image Credits
Carl Kerridge