We recently had the chance to connect with Laura Mauger and have shared our conversation below.
Hi Laura, thank you for taking the time to reflect back on your journey with us. I think our readers are in for a real treat. There is so much we can all learn from each other and so thank you again for opening up with us. Let’s get into it: Are you walking a path—or wandering?
I believe that I am walking a path that twists and turns in unexpected ways. A path where most of the time, I can only see the next step as I continue to move forward.
Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
My name is Laura Mauger and I am an artist who makes wearable sculptures in the form of crowns, masks, and jewelry. My designs are hand sculpted from polymer clay and hand painted with acrylic paints to create one-of-a-kind works of whimsical art that are perfect for renaissance faires and fantasy balls. To create truly unique pieces, only one of each design exists while themes may be repeated in various interpretations. Currently I am working on new pieces for exhibiting at the Enchanted Wizard’s Book Faire, a fantasy event by Loremakers Fantasy, happening this winter in Culpeper, VA.
Okay, so here’s a deep one: What did you believe about yourself as a child that you no longer believe?
As a child, and well into adulthood, I believed that I always needed to just push through and keep working on things, and if I wasn’t where I wanted to be, then I wasn’t trying hard enough. I believed the lie that if I rested, I was lazy, and that I would fall behind and everything would fall apart. Resting felt unsafe because it was very unfamiliar in my house.
Within the last few years though, I have been trying to unlearn that belief and instead, learn how to rest. Which is still an ongoing process. Instead of thinking “Have I done enough to deserve to rest?” I have to switch my thinking to “Have I rested enough to do what I need to do well?” Then decide how to incorporate rhythms of rest into my life.
Recently, with the change of seasons I have noticed that even nature knows how to rest. I have watched as the trees lose their leaves and their growth slows as they enter into winter’s slumber. They aren’t lazy and they haven’t failed at being a tree either. They’re just resting, waiting to burst forth once again in the spring with renewed energy.
If you could say one kind thing to your younger self, what would it be?
I would tell myself that it’s good to be an artist. I feel like for a long time I tried to run from my identity of being an artist because it wasn’t, and still isn’t, considered a legitimate job. When I first started selling my art, it was so hard to even call myself an artist. Even now when people ask what my job is there’s still a slight hesitation in giving them an answer. So I would want younger me to be proud of being creative, and to know that it’s good that she’s an artist because the world needs those too.
Alright, so if you are open to it, let’s explore some philosophical questions that touch on your values and worldview. What’s a belief or project you’re committed to, no matter how long it takes?
Even though it’s taken me a while to accept the fact, I believe that God created me to be an artist with the specific skills I have, to create wearable works of art that reflect his joy, creativity, and beauty. It’s already taken a long time to get where I am and it’s just the beginning. I plan to keep going, “to bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes” (Isaiah 61:3) and I am excited to see where that will take me.
Thank you so much for all of your openness so far. Maybe we can close with a future oriented question. What is the story you hope people tell about you when you’re gone?
When my time is done, there’s a few things I hope that people say about me. First, I hope that they could feel the love of Jesus in me for them, and second, that their life was changed for the better because I was in it. I hope that because people knew me, they were encouraged, loved, and free to be themselves. That somehow I was a positive impact in their life that allowed them to make a positive impact in someone else’s life.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.lauramauger.com
- Instagram: @maugerlc
- Facebook: @maugerlc
Image Credits
Josiah Mauger, Laura Mauger
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