Aaron Laux
Biographical Info ARTIST BIOGRAPHY Born in 1972, Aaron Laux understood that his life would be driven by the need to create at the age of five. Subsequently, his path towards self realization, education, community and professional life, has been alternative. He attended the UW-Madison for three years of undergraduate studies, however, did not graduate. Instead he accepted an apprentice- ship with artist Steven Spiro. During this 10 year span the mentorship and training in wood sculpting technique provided the ground work for his technical skills as well as his unique vision. Throughout his twenties and early thirties, Aaron eschewed all convention by deciding to go off the grid. Building and living in a yurt, he poured his passion and intellect into understanding personally the experience of the first humans. Art for him at the time was survival art, learning long lost skills that connect us to the natural world. This includes the process of making stone tools, which has become a symbolic element in his current contemporary mosaics. Other experience based education including world travel, especially living in South India for a year, contributed to Aaron’s interest in different cultural perspectives on the relationship between humans and the natural world. This relationship with our environment is a constant theme that he explores in his work and life. Aaron has become increasingly more vocal about the impact of human caused climate change. A recent project completed is, Phoenix from the Ashes, which is a public artwork that addresses climate change issues including deforestation. From 2016 to 2018, Aaron was a Fellow in the Clark Hulings Fund Business Accelerator program. This experience helped Aaron bridge the gap between the necessity of creating an income, with the vision and spiritual side of making art. Within Aaron’s diverse portfolio you will find original art, commissions, community based projects, public art, functional, and architectural works. Recently, Aaron has had success creating artworks for the health care organizations. His view is that it is important to reach an audience that might not otherwise have access to his art while still maintain- ing his vision. In 2018, Aaron was invited to exhibit his functional art with the Handmade Craft Invitational at the Dubuque Museum of Art. This exhibition featured a selected group of regional artists who’s work is influencing the current functional art movement. He was also selected to participate in the GLEAM Exhibition at the Olbrich Botanical Gardens in 2015. This was an outdoor installation of light sculpture that was integrated into the gardens. Aaron’s work was titled Luminous Grass. Both of these exhibitions exemplify Aaron’s innovative approach and commitment to sharing his idea of how we connect to the natural world. Aaron’s fearless quest is to seek to know a better way to be part of, verses, in opposition to, the environment we live within as a community. His message is consistently broadcast through the various techniques and materials that he combines in unexpected ways. His work is distinctive and is the result of a distinctive life style.
Level South Central Wisconsin Chapter
Membership Type Professional