WATERTOWN, SOUTH DAKOTA

ABOUT LAURA DAHLE:

Laura has been involved in the visual arts for most of her life, as a teacher of the visual arts in Illinois (6 years) and South Dakota (since 1976), as an artist, and as a strong advocate for the visual arts.  Until retirement from public education Laura had been involved with the National Art Education Association since college.  As a child, Laura liked to draw, paint, and experiment with different materials.  Her early work however, was not limited to one particular media.  During her college years, and in her post graduate work, Laura experimented with many different media and materials, including fiber arts, jewelry and metal work, watercolors, pottery, computer graphics, and photography.   In later years she specialized in pottery, jewelry and photography.  Currently, Laura has been focusing on watercolor painting in Texas in the winter, and pottery in Watertown during the summer.
Subjects from nature are a favorite motif used in works of art created by Laura, although her work is not limited to these motifs.  Photography, pottery, and drawings contain both realistic and abstract shapes and designs drawn from natural forms and surroundings.  While most artists tend to create in either two-dimensional or three-dimensional medium, Laura has been able to master both dimensions in her pottery and paintings.  In her pottery, Laura will sometimes use the flat surfaces as a palette on which to work, and thus blend the two dimensions. Porcelain pottery is a favorite clay medium for this type of work.  Jewelry work has also become a focus of her work, especially in the media of raku and glass.
“Retirement” has given Laura more time to concentrate on her own personal artistic visions, and also the opportunity to share her knowledge of the arts with others.  Over the years, Laura has developed her own studio work space at home which has included a darkroom and pottery workshop with a kiln and pottery wheel.   Laura continues to teach pottery classes for both youth and adults through the Watertown Parks and Recreation department at the City Auditorium.  Laura took over the  program in  1976 when she returned to Watertown to teach with the Watertown School district.  During the winter months, Laura paints with the Hidalgo Watercolor Society group in Mission, Texas.  In January 2014, Laura chaired the Annual Watercolor Society show in Mission, Texas.  

​

Laura’s work is presently available at:

 

• The Birchtree Gallery, 117 East Kemp in uptown Watertown, South Dakota open Wednesday through Saturday 

• Upper Valley Art League in Mission, Texas.

​Laura's Painting classes for adults and Pottery classes for youth and adults are available through Watertown Parks and Recreation :

call 605-882-6260 or visit: http://www.watertownparkandrec.com/

​