By day, Laura-Lynn Renner works in the city of Baltimore as a stockbroker, by night, weekend, early morning and in every other crack of time she is a beach lover, multi-talented artist, excellent friend, nurturing daughter, devoted dog mama and beloved wife. One of the reasons I reached out to Laura-Lynn to see if she would chat with me on the dock is that I happen to know she has been having a most hellacious year. You know the kind, where each time things get bad, you think– well, they can’t get worse . .. and then they do. Yeah, that kind of year.
And yet! YET!<--! She is full of light, sweet energy, nurturing her friends and family and finding a way to sustain optimism through it all. I wanted to know her way of navigating it all-- and so that's pretty much what we talk about.
“When things get rough, I reach for the knitting, I reach for the art journal, I go to the garden, I grab my camera, I do some sewing . . . the creative part of my life absolutely balances the extreme preparedness I need to have during the day at work, the stress level I am under at my job, problem solving, fixing, cajoling, meeting expectations and if I don’t have that other side, I break down, I get sick.” – Laura-Lynn Renner
One morning, Laura-Lynn got behind the wheel of her car and drove the many hours north to that crazy place in New Hampshire where people gather to get their creative on. (She shares more about her story of that first year coming to Squam HERE.)
“Being in my early forties, a solid upstanding citizen, married and employed in the financial industry . . I felt the need be very careful about who I told about my secret adventure into the woods of New Hampshire. . . . For me, attending Squam Art Workshops was not just about the amazing classes and gorgeous location on Squam Lake, it was also about challenging myself to step outside of my comfort zone for the chance to experience something new and different. I was proud of my decision to overcome my anxieties and go. I was proud that I ventured 10 hours north alone by car to meet strange women in a strange land, to share a room with some random chick and a cabin with many random chicks.”
It was her husband Phil who encouraged her to go that first time, and that’s just one of the reasons he is a rock star and honorary Squammie . . . 🙂
bisous, Elizabeth
