Laura Lara: An up-and-coming ceramics artist

Laura Lara is a Los Angeles-based ceramics artist. Her art has become one of her biggest passions, as she pushes through an industry where success isn’t viewed in terms of money.

“I don’t think you know you’ve reached success until it’s gone, so I choose to focus and enjoy everyday achievements,” she said.

Lara was raised in the ever-changing downtown Los Angeles by Honduran immigrants whose ambition was to build better opportunities for their three kids. From a young age the stereotypical idea of success was built into her; as a daughter of immigrants, there was a clear path to success.

“I had envisioned becoming a doctor or veterinarian and for the longest time that was the focus until I realized I really enjoyed art. The creativity and expression it offered helped pushed me in pursuing more,” she said.

Lara grew up watching her brother studying day and night through high school, college and then law school. Her pride shows through as she gushes over her brother’s accomplishments. But she realized that this wasn’t the type of future she wanted. Lara was still figuring out what type of art to pursue when she began to take classes at Inner City Arts.

Inner City Arts is an L.A.-based art program for students. Every year they give 5,000 elementary school students and more than 1,000 middle and high school students high-quality arts education during the summer, weekends and after school.

“I tried acting classes, drawing and so many more when I came across ceramics. It was not love at first sight. It was frustrating and tiring, learning how to work with a wheel and clay. My pieces kept cracking, but it definitely left me wanting to keep trying,” Lara said, adding that she decided to give ceramics one last try at her high school.

There she found Ms. Lemvo, who taught and inspired her. Working with clay was challenging, yet fun for her. She continued to take ceramic classes in high school for another three years. During high school she had the opportunity to put on an exhibition of her work.

Solomon Ochoa, her boyfriend, is one of many always pushing her to follow her passion.

“She’s so talented,” Ochoa said. “I push her art on everyone I meet. Our parents barely know what ceramics is. They try to be supportive, but you can see the skepticism.”

The accomplishments she’s had so far through exhibition hasn’t stopped her from questioning whether this is the right path, but it’s the only one that makes sense for her.

“My brother set the bar so high for me and my younger sibling. I felt that anything that didn’t fit into the idea of normal success was a failure, but art gave me an outlet that nothing else did,” she said. “My parents were supportive with my decisions each time but in an industry where there isn’t always a steady income, I was terrified.”

After high school, Lara enrolled in a community college where she’s working towards a bachelor’s in fine arts, specializing in ceramics. Afterwards, she wants to transfer to Cal State Long Beach, where they offer an incredibly successful ceramics program.

“I know that you don’t need a degree to be able to pursue this career, but I feel I’m already at a disadvantage compared to my colleagues because of my background,” Lara said. “I need all the help I can get. Most of my coworkers and fellow artist are white and don’t need to worry about money. They come in, produce art and know their worth.”

Lara now works as a teacher at Still Ceramics Studio.

This ceramic studio is located in downtown L.A., where Lara has been a teacher for two years, as well as a student. With excellent teachers and coworkers, Lara gets to directly put to work what she learns in school and focus on her style of art.

“I honestly have no idea how I’m here,” she said. “If you’d ask me where I’d be two years after high school it would be working at the local Pollo Loco. Instead I’m one step closer to finding bigger success in passion,” she said. Besides teaching classes at Still Ceramics Studio, Lara is also open to commissions. She sells cups, plates, mugs, and smoking pipes.

“As cliché as it is, I’m always nervous my art isn’t good enough. I’m insecure when pricing my art. I recently sold a piece at about $100 and I couldn’t believe it. A part of me felt like I was ripping them off when in reality my art was worth it. Ceramics isn’t a type of art known in the Latino community. My peers are rarely people of color,” Lara said, describing a sense of feeling left behind by her peers.

One of Lara’s clients, Fernando Guerrero, said she is “too modest.”

“I found some of her work and quickly fell in love with her work,” Guerrero said. “Her pipes and mugs are definitely going to be Christmas gifts to my family and friends this year. It’s also always great to support a local artist that put in hard work and time into their pieces.”

Lara tries to look up to artists of color, yet she’s frustrated that they’re constantly either dead or lack the true recognition they deserve.

“I want to be a part of a new wave of artists of color. I want to help show my community that there are more dimensions of art than the basic idea of painting and drawing,” she said. “The current dream I have for my future is to open up my own studio. Teaching other people in my community just as my high school teacher and Inner-City Arts helped inspire me and find ceramics.”

The recent pandemic has hit everyone hard. Lara feels it has set her back a year from her plans to continue school, since art classes can only go so far online. She’s nervous about the future and where to continue, but she’s trying to focus on using this strange worldwide pause to work on her art and find her specific style.

Lara is open for commissions. To contact her, send an email to laralaura321@gmail.com or visit her on Instagram @mariposaindica.