Laura Sjoquist grew up in Minneapolis, Minnesota. She was fortunate to have a mother who helped her explore the outdoors and the changing seasons. Laura's mother instilled in her a deep love of nature and she spent her childhood reading Ranger Rick and playing in the dirt.

Laura attended The Minneapolis College of Art and Design while still in high school through the Post Secondary Enrollment Options program. At MCAD she fell in love with the idea of creating images that capture the imagination and open the heart. After high school she enrolled in the Studio Arts program at the University of Minnesota. There she discovered a passion for pattern, texture and detail. She graduated in 1999 with a BA in studio arts and has been painting and taking photographs ever since.
In 2002 Laura moved to Rockford, Illinois. Here she continues her explorations of nature at the numerous forest preserves and state parks in the area. Hiking is one of her favorite past times. She believes a good walk in the woods provides endless opportunities to study color, pattern and texture.

Laura's paintings, mixed media collages and photographs focus on color and pattern. In her paintings she likes to use layers of color to create texture and bring the work to life. In her photography she focuses on the smaller, often overlooked, details that make the subject uniquely what it is.

The many things the artist adores include Lonely Planet Guide Books, camping equipment, ski-ball, and green tea ice cream. She also loves and finds a great deal of inspiration in the works of Paul Cezanne and the poetry of Walt Whitman. Her painting influences include walking in the woods, the color wheel and wallpaper.