Tell us your full name, age, hometown and passion.
My name is Laura Lea Nalle, and I’m 30 years old. I was born and raised in Austin, Texas. My passion is living meaningfully, authentically, sustainably, and creatively. For me, that entails being deeply involved in the arts, both as a fine artist engaged in my own work and creative process and also as an active member in the larger community of artists and musicians.
What dream are you currently living out?
All things art! I am a working artist, and I am also very fortunate to be involved with various other artists and musicians here in Austin. I have worked as a photographer for more than a decade, but recently my work has evolved into three dimensions. I use a lot of found objects and mixed media to produce small and large-scale sculpture and installation. I really enjoy making art that is interactive, that engenders a sense of participation and belonging, that makes the viewer a co-creator.
In the past, I have helped produce and manage art events such as Art Outside which is held annually at the Austin Enchanted Forest. I worked very closely with Tyler Hanson to produce Art Outside 2008 (AO|08) which included the work of over a 100 artists and performers/musicians. It was amazing to help make that event happen, from the ground up, and to bring together so many creative and talented individuals.
Most recently I have been working as tour manager for one of Austin’s greatest musicians, Guy Forsyth. That has been a really amazing experience for me because everyone involved with Guy is a truly amazing human being, and I have been very inspired by Guy’s talent, work ethic, and his immense generosity of spirit.
In the next few months, I will be conducting my thesis research at the Chinati Foundation in Marfa, Texas. Chinati is one of the most unique art spaces in the world. It was founded by Donald Judd who belongs to the Minimalist tradition, and his vision very much emphasizes the relationship of art and the environment. It is a dream to be able to spend a few months there and to have so much interaction with the installations and the surrounding landscapes of West Texas.
Where were you before you decided that it was possible to pursue your dream?
I was working on a masters degree in Philosophy at Texas A&M University with the intention to continue on to a PhD. I wanted to teach at the university level and do my art on the side in the time I had leftover from school.
I should note that I am still working on my masters because I think it is important to finish the things you have committed to, but I have changed the focus of my studies to more accurately reflect my ongoing interests in the arts.
Did you have an epiphany or a change in mindset when you realized that it was possible? When/what happened?
Yes, as a matter of fact, I did have an epiphany. Some would call it an existential crisis.
I was taking a graduate seminar on Existentialism with an amazing professor named John McDermott. I was also a teaching assistant for another amazing professor named Ted George. Between the two of them, I was in tears just about every day on my drive home from school.
Both of them talked a lot about a philosophical idea that comes from the Hebrew, teshuvah. Teshuvah means to turn, or return, to oneself. In the Jewish tradition, it means the return to the path of god byway of repentance and atonement. I take it to mean the return to oneself as a divine, light-bearing being. It is the turn towards the most authentic and sustainable way of being. Both of my profs refer to it simply as ‘the turn.’
I realized that while I could be very satisfied by a life of teaching philosophy to college students, it wasn’t the thing that kept me up at night and got me really excited. The thing I couldn’t help but do was art, that was the thing that gave me butterflies and kept me up most nights thinking about the next piece I was going to make or the next event I was going to work on or a new process involving new materials or other artists I wanted to collaborate with and on and on.
One day, Ted George told me about his turn. He was confronted with the choice to pursue a career as a successful lawyer, following in his father’s footsteps, or he could get a PhD and teach. He was tormented with the decision, the choice to sacrifice a very high paying career in law and risk disappointing his father. For him, pursuing a career in law was the safe path and being a philosopher was the dream. He, too, chose the dream, and today he is one of the most brilliant and thoughtful professors I have ever known.
Pursuing a PhD and going on to teach was the safe path, for me. It wasn’t the dream. Once I realized that, I understood that I could no longer authentically pursue that path. There was no choice for me after that realization.
When you committed yourself to walking that path, what changed for you?
Well, I had to figure out how to honor my previous commitments that now appeared obsolete. I seriously thought about quitting school altogether, but I realized that it, too, was an opportunity to deepen my understanding of art and the ideas that inspire my work. I have been able to focus primarily on philosophy of art and aesthetics so as to orient myself towards the path I really want to pursue. I looked into various opportunities to do my thesis research in the art world, so I applied to a few to see what doors might open. I am very fortunate and grateful to have been invited to go to Chinati to do my research. It is the best of both worlds, as I am able to keep both feet on the path of my dream, and at the same time I am honoring the commitment I made to myself and others to finish my masters degree in philosophy.
What mental barriers and fears did you have to overcome? What physical barriers?
I had to do some serious, deep internal work to really understand what was going on. It was very difficult at times. I was plagued with self-doubt. One of my favorite professors of all time who mentored me through my undergrad years, Craig Hanks, told me that all intelligent, thoughtful people are plagued with doubt. He said it’s the ones who aren’t that you really need to worry about. I felt okay after that.
Sometimes I fall into the trap of thinking I don’t have the things I need to do the art I want to do. I realized that this kind of thinking was fatalistic and led to producing mediocre work or not producing any work at all. It helped me develop a resourcefulness that makes me look at the world in a more meaningful way. Instead of saying to myself, “If only I had this tool or that material I could do what I want,” I now take a good look around to see what I have at hand. I use whatever is available and get creative with it. I ask for help when I really need it, and most people are more than happy to be of assistance. I don’t really ever go out of my way; everything I need is always there right in front of me if I’m looking with the right eyes. I know now there is never a lack of resources, only a lack of creativity. This is also a valuable lesson for life in general.
What kind of feedback or advice were you given and how did you perceive it?
So many people were incredibly supportive through my process of figuring everything out. I solicited advice from those I trusted and admired, and each of them reflected back my own sensibilities about pursuing the dream. They each helped me confirm and validate my own understandings and intuitions about the path I should take. I am incredibly grateful to those people.
My family, on the other hand, was a harder sell. I think it takes a really open mind to see a career in art, fine art for that matter, as a viable and valid option. It took some convincing, some conflict and disagreement, and some time not talking to each other for them to come around. I was not, after all, willing to compromise the thing I knew I needed to do in this lifetime. I think now they see me going to work at it, they see the people I am collaborating with, and they are slowly realizing that this is a viable option – indeed, the only real option for me.
What inspired you to reflect on your former circumstances and begin to define how you wanted to live your life?
I am very fortunate to live in a city where creative people reign supreme. My friends and community are endless sources of inspiration. Also, my participation in the Burning Man community has been really important for me. As a whole, that community is so generous and has a tremendous diversity of ideas, skills, resources, etc. Feeling a sense of belonging and being able to give the things I had to offer – and to have those offerings be so enthusiastically received – was very important in coming to more fully know myself, where I am going, and what I have to give to the world.
In 2007, I made my first large-scale installation, the Greenhouse Project, which traveled around the country to various art events, and finally culminating at Burning Man. That piece managed to attract some national attention. I was scouted by the Sundance Channel to be in a documentary vignette series that explores the intersection of art and green activism. I also met a French documentary filmmaker who took an interest in my work and filmed me for his documentary about the art of Burning Man. I realized that when I put everything I have behind a project or idea, that it takes on its own momentum and lifeforce, and that it can be a very powerful and fruitful experience. Who was it that said, “When you know what you want, the whole universe conspires to help you get it”? Well, I found that to be very true.
The Greenhouse Project took the idea of growing plants and related it to our own personal lives. It asked viewers the question “Dreams are seeds, what do you want to grow?” I had no idea to the extent that that project would work its own magic on me. The whole experience affected me so profoundly. It was one of the most important things I’ve done in my life. You can read more about my experience here: http://www.lauraleanalle.com/content/view/41/3/
How has doing what you are doing, changed how you see future possibilities and challenges?
I feel like there is a whole world of possibility open to me. After I finish my masters, I plan to look more into some artist in residence programs at places like The Mattress Factory, The Chinati Foundation, Arcosanti, the National Parks, Obras in Portugal, and other unique places for further developing my work.
I feel confident that if I am living authentically, then opportunities will present themselves to me. So far, that is how things have worked out, for the most part. If I’m living in harmony with myself and the world, then these things are close to effortless. I mean, it takes hard work and discipline and there is often conflict and struggle, but it all arises organically and it is all important for me to work through to get to what’s next. So, in that way, it becomes effortless. It must always be authentic and never contrived. Most of the time, I am figuring out how to get out of my own way in order to reach a state of effortlessness.
What are your strength and weaknesses? Which are you trying to improve upon?
I am terrible at mundane tasks like paying my bills, getting my car washed, dropping off my dry cleaning, going grocery shopping, etc. Maybe I need a personal assistant. Ha! I had a person come help with some things like this for a while, but I realized that I needed to reclaim those tasks for my own spiritual development. There is something important about doing the dishes everyday, cleaning your house, etc. Those tasks, no matter how mundane, help me put my own mind in order. I’m trying to cultivate discipline in these areas every day. They have become part of my spiritual practice. There is a saying, “After enlightenment, the laundry.” I like that and think it’s important not to stray too far from the repetition, predictability, and maintenance of daily life. One of my favorite words is ‘quotidian,’ which is a very beautiful word that means ‘ordinary’ or ‘everyday.’ And that is the task, to find the beauty in that which is completely ordinary. If we can achieve that, then everything else should be relatively easy in comparison.
I think I’m pretty good at a few things. One of them is the ability to relate to a very diverse range of people and help them turn their light on, so to speak. I love talking to all sorts of folks, ask them questions, maybe help them realize a few ways they can live more meaningfully, and to learn what I can from them. That’s actually how I fell in love with philosophy because it helped me live a much more meaningful life. Socrates said, “The unexamined life is not worth living,” and I think this is very true. I think I’m good at examining my own life and likewise helping others navigate themselves through that process. I have a lot of compassion for people no matter where they are in the process of coming to know themselves.
Being faced with the task to examine our own lives is one of the things that unites all of us, and now I think it is apparent that the stakes are higher than even what we learn from Socrates who was put to death for his way of living. Failing to live an examined life not only threatens our own peace and happiness but has also caused all sorts of problems for our world – environmentally, politically, socially, economically, etc. It’s not just something we should do for ourselves in order to live a good life, but I believe it has become a moral imperative for the entire global community to insure that life can even continue in any sort of decent way. I am a big advocate of critical thinking and internal reflection on individual and communal levels. These two things are crucial for every one to do, especially in light of everything that is going on in the world right now.
How has your perspective on life changed?
I don’t know that I would say my perspective has changed, per se. I think, more accurately, it has deepened and expanded. When I realized that I wanted to whole-heartedly pursue my art career, I looked back on my life and saw that that was the common thread through everything I had been doing. It was like everything I had ever done was leading up to that. It wasn’t some sort of complete departure or drastic change from what I had been doing. It was just taking root in a much more substantial and cognizant way.
What would be your advice to other people who want to live out their dreams?
Start where you are. Don’t wait for the circumstances to be just right; there is always some step you can start taking today to get there. Put yourself out there, be vulnerable and brave and be willing to walk through any fears you may have. Ask for help from people who are better at it than you are, and teach those who are less skilled than you. Offer your assistance to people who are doing things you want to do and learn everything you can from them. Be inspired by others who are doing things you admire and emulate them in a way that is authentic for you. Solicit advice and feedback from people whose judgment you trust and admire. Surround yourself with good people and weed out toxic influences from your daily life. Give back to the community, whether by volunteering at a shelter or soup kitchen, or teaching free yoga classes, or walking dogs at the humane society, or lending a hand to someone with a terminal illness.
Cultivate courage. It is the highest of all the virtues because without it, no other virtue can truly be present. Read books, lots of them. Develop and deepen your love for learning, a thirst for it, and soak up as much as you can in this lifetime. Spend time alone. Solitude is crucial in the process of coming to know yourself. Travel alone to remote places, and embark on journeys that require radical self-reliance. Spend time in deserts and observe the economy of the plants, animals, and water there, and incorporate those lessons into your daily life. Do things that push you out of your comfort zone, that are a little bit (or a lot) scary and pay attention to the ways in which you hide from or embrace those experiences.
And probably the most important piece of advice would be to start a daily practice if you don’t have one already. It can be anything – meditating for 5 minutes, yoga, tai chi, going for a walk around the block, singing a song that lifts you up, anything that helps you cultivate mindfulness. Start with 5 minutes, then expand to 10, then 20, then half an hour, and so on until every moment of your life is imbued with that presence of mind.
What is most important to you in life?
The very most important thing to me is living in a way that is meaningful by being engaged with everything that’s going on within and around me. Everything else either directly or peripherally supports that task.
What are you most proud of in your life?
I am most proud of being a good human being and making decisions that illustrate good judgment and integrity. It can be tempting and all too easy to lie and cheat and steal your way to success. But that is not real success and it is not a sustainable or meaningful or just way to live. It’s oftentimes easier to not do the work on myself that I need to do to be the best person I am capable of being. But that is not a meaningful way to live. It’s easy to not have integrity, to say one thing and do another, to not hold ourselves accountable. But that is not the person I am or want to be. I am proud of being an advocate of the good, the right, and the just.
What is your next dream?
I would like to continue to deepen and expand the path I am currently on. I’d like to do that by doing more traveling, participating in some artist in residence programs (the Mattress Factory is at the top of that list!), working with other artists and musicians, and remaining open to other possibilities that I haven’t yet considered.
I’m also working on getting a solo exhibition at a well-regarded gallery some time next year, and I’d like to get representation for my work to help take me to the next level of my career as a working artist. And I’m always, always on the prowl for learning new techniques, new processes, new materials, and new ways to express my ideas.
Anything else you would like to share?
Yes, a blessing.
May you find the universe provides precisely what you need at every moment in time,
Let the sun and its power of light shine in your life and inspire the thoughts in your mind,
Be at peace, until next time.
To learn more about Laura and to visit her website please click on the links below:
www.earth2LL.com
www.myspace.com/lauraleanalle
