When Lavonne was growing up in the Midwest, the only girl in the middle of six brothers, her mother saw a creative spark in her and provided her with a variety of art supplies for the occasions she needed a ‘time out’. Even when she wasn’t in trouble, she chose to be creative with paints and various crafts. She continued her creative path and studied Graphic Communication at Platt College in San Diego, which put her on the road to professional marketing. Enjoying nature, she moved her young family to live near Lake Tahoe in the Sierra Nevada mountain range. Over the years, she explored and grew to love the vast, rugged area and its historic significance. That landscape would influence her work.
Lavonne was fortunate to have studied other Nevada artists who had mastered glazing colors. One in particular, whom she calls the “artist whisperer,” helped to give free rein to her creativity. With her husbands support, a mentor’s encouragement, and her own unwavering faith that talent is a gift to encourage her to pursue her passion for painting.
She is influenced by seasonal light and how it changes the appearance and atmosphere of each subject, altering textures and forms and layering complexity. She is attracted to silent beauty of snow. The challenge of capturing wildlife action is alluring, and she is similarly drawn to Nevada history and ranching scenes.
