“TRANQUILITY” is the physical manifestation of peace I have spent the past three years trying to achieve within myself. It is emblematic of the acceptance and surrender that something has happened; that something has hurt, and now something else stands in its place. Put simply, I have spent the past three years clawing my way towards inner peace. And though I have not completely found it yet, I am a lot closer than I have ever been. This collection is a part of that healing journey.

Everything in these collages is repurposed: old jewelry, thrifted frames, magazine clippings and archived papers from an antique store, and little bits and pieces I’ve collected over the years. The featured photos are of people who have been impactful to my life and growth— some good, some bad, some who are no longer a part of it and some who I still talk to.

In my quest for tranquility, I have come to understand that I process the world through others; through metaphor, through song, through media, and through my own work as a journalist. The more of the world I process, the less I understand. And yet, the more I know myself. That, in essence, is the soul of this collection. I am, for the first time, turning my work inward and searching for what treasures may be buried within me. These pieces are chaotic, intense, colloquial, confusing, whimsical, and beautiful, mirroring my own spiritual awakening. They are both blooming flower and summer thunderstorm, marrying destruction and rebirth in a cosmic balance: the combination of which can only be described as tranquil.

In September of 2023, Lauren debuted her first gallery show at Studio 323 in Phoenixville, PA. To see the whole gallery show, click here.