I first came across the work of Laurel Greenfield when I followed her vibrant, eye-catching Instagram (@laurelgreenfield). I loved coming across her abstract pineapples, colorful artichokes, and delicious cake slices while scrolling through my feed.
One day, Laurel posted that her artwork was being shown at a gallery near Boston and that she was hosting a kick-off reception. One of my favorite things to do in my free time is explore different parts of the Boston community, so I immediately sent Laurel a quick message to let her know I was excited about attending. She was so receptive and engaging, and after chatting for a bit, we had already made a connection - she had been a member of Spoon University as a student at Boston University!
The gallery reception was fabulous! Over some wine and a delicious appetizer spread, I had the opportunity to meet Laurel. We chatted about Spoon experiences, shared favorite places to eat in Boston (Sweet Cheeks Q is now at the top of my list), and discussed her work with Bites of Boston Food Tours. Then, sipping my glass of red, I strolled through the gallery among her friends and family and got a unique insight into Laurel's childhood memories through paintings like "Grandma's Giant Ice Cream," "Dad and Chinese Food," and "Mom and Desserts."
Laurel's motivation for getting into food art was, and still is, the preservation of family memories; she cherishes moments from her childhood spent sharing ice cream with her family and making pilgrimages to Diners, Drive Ins, and Dives sites. She has seen how food bring people together, and through her art she aims to capture the thoughts, feelings, and tastes of those moments so we can savor them all over again.
It was a true pleasure to meet Laurel and her friends and family. She exudes genuine excitement about her work and her positivity is wide-reaching. I encourage you all to follow along with her on Instagram and to check out her new online shop, where you can find beautiful pieces. With everything from fruit to ice cream and fortune cookies to ring pops, her work is perfect for brightening up a college dorm, apartment, or home. She also does custom commissions to turn your favorite food or memory into artwork.
And, if you're in the Boston area, I highly recommend making a visit to see Laurel Greenfield's work in "Memories from My Table" before it goes! It is being shown at The Paul Dietrich Gallery on the 5th floor of Cambridge Seven Associates at 1050 Mass Ave. in Cambridge, running Monday-Friday 9AM-5PM until March 2nd.