About Lorna Vincent, founder of Laurel Highlands Pottery

Sculptor and artist Lorna Vincent has been a self-declared artist since the age of 4 when she started drawing portraits in crayon and illustrating her mom's cookbooks with detailed drawings of the recipes.

EARLY START

Her first portrait commission came at age 11, and her career choice began to grow into the lifelong journey of art it is today.

In high school she studied commercial design, drew constantly, and was honored frequently in shows and competitions for her original artwork .  She went on to study at Fairmont State University, achieving degrees in the fields of Art Education and Studio Regents .

University is where her first sculpture intrigued a group of professors and other sculpture artists They stood admiring her first piece, a portrait bust of a man, rendered in terracotta clay.  The group started discussing which artist Lorna had been in a past life. the expressive, realistic piece was alive!  The artist's love for clay was set that day.  During her college career, Lorna created countless busts, figures and groupings, all displaying her knack for capturing expression and emotion in clay.

BUSINESS WOMAN

Lorna turned her passions inro a business in 1997.  Her studio was housed in a 1904 Georgian school building, nearly 40,000 feet of space became sculpture, painting, mold-making and casting rooms for Adventures In Elegance.

She completed years of commission and gallery pieces in the studios and installed and dedicated monuments and public works.  

Some of the public pieces

• Anna Jarvis Memorial Bust, WV State capitol, Charleston WV
• Anna Jarvis Coal Memorial Bust, Senate Building, Washington DC
• Veterans Memorial Sculpture, Flemington WV
• 11 Founder's Plaques, Italian Heritage Offices, Clarksburg WV
• Jerry Dove Memorial Plaques, FBI Center
• NFL Hall of Fame Gunner Gatsky memorial plaque
• many others....

She also has sold artwork and taken commissions for inclusion in private collections worldwide.

Lorna has also completed public projects in Scagliola, an old-world technique using plaster and organic pigments to recreate architectural elements as faux marble.  She is one of only a handful of artisans skilled at this nearly lost artform.

Her company also became expert at restoring old world plaster and sculpture.  She had teams who went nationwide to restore churches, state buildings, and even a palace in Kona, Hawaii.

 TEACHING AND SHOWS

Lorna's drawings and sculptures have won numerous awards in gallery exhibitions nationally, and she has had many solo exhibitions showcasing her expressive style.  

Teaching classes and private lessons gave Lorna the opportunity to help creatives and young artists and spend time outside the studio. 

 She teaches all media and plans lessons according to the level and interests of her students.  Ages 4-84 have come to Lorna for guidance.

Her public demonstrations have enthralled crowds at cultural events nationwide.  Lorna would render a portrait bust in clay from a sitting model starting with an armature made of a wood dowel. Completing the portrait in one sitting showcased her natural style and ability with the medium.

GIVING BACK

In 2008 Lorna founded a nonprofit organization dedicated to rescuing, rehabilitating and rehoming unwanted cats in WV.  She also opened a nonprofit spay and neuter clinic, which altered thousands of cats and made a huge impact on the feline population in the area while simultaneously performing outreach to the county shelters, animal controls and private rescue groups in the state.  She lobbied lawmakers, facilitating changes in laws regarding cats, including stricter enforcement of neglect and abuse. 

Many rescuers and groups are working today because of the insights and encouragement Lorna Vincent gave to them.

She also gave back through involvement in local and state arts organizations.  Offering her business background and teaching skills, as well as her fiscal support, to help other artists in their careers.

CONTINUING THE WORK

Currently residing in Pennsylvania in the beautiful Laurel Highland mountains, after recovering from illness, Lorna Vincent is back at her lifelong passion:  sculpture and art pottery. 

 Planning to return to teaching to pass on her knowledge to others and continuing her love of exhibiting her work in galleries and shows.

Art is a journey of mind, body and spirit.  An adventure for this bold hearted artist who has worked diligently since childhood.  Let the adventure continue!