Amy LaBossiere

This piece was created to express pure joy in hopes that it would transmit it to the viewer. It is a playful nod to those splash-filled moments of togetherness and worry-free serenity. Through the whimsical use of fiber art, I've shaped a scene about self-love and the cheer of being with others. It's a casual yet heartfelt reminder of the fun of embracing ourselves and diving into life's shared pleasures.

Fiber and Acrylic on Canvas

I'm thrilled to announce that I won the Juror’s Award at the Connecticut Women Artists 2023 Annual Members’ Juried Exhibit! My pen and ink collage artwork, "Sober Friends," has been recognized by the esteemed Dr. Anna M. Swinbourne, Ph.D., Executive Director and CEO of Hill-Stead Museum.

.I'm truly humbled by this honor, as Dr. Swinbourne's remarkable background in art history, curation, and advising makes her recognition even more meaningful. I'm grateful for the opportunity to showcase my art among such talented women artists in the CWA community.

Sober Friends is a collection of pen and ink sketches I created during the pandemic while attending daily Zoom meetings with my sober friends. Each sketch captures a unique individual's essence and journey toward recovery. As an artist, I hope that Sober Friends can serve as a tribute to the resilience and strength of those who have chosen to fight addiction and that it can inspire others to join the fight toward a world where sobriety is not just a possibility but a reality for everyone who wants it.

Adventurine is a needle-felted character holding an aventurine gemstone against a needle-felted water-look background encased in a gilded gold antique frame. Her eyes gaze dreamily into the distance as she contemplates the spiritual significance of water, its power, and its essence, evoking a sense of wonder and reverence for the natural world. Her longing for a spiritual existence beyond human form invites the viewer to reflect on their connection to the elements and the divine

Mixed media on canvas. This was the first iteration of Pool Party that evolved into several other works of the same composition. Th initial inspiration was: Culture told us we weren’t enough and our bodies were objects to be judged. Perhaps we can accept reality over prepackaged faux beauty and how the world says we need to be. Can we live without objectification?

COVID-19, vaccines, politics, fake news, division and separation. Where do we go from here?

My painting on a t-shirt, all proceeds benefit Ukrainian refugees via World Central Kitchen. Sold at Stackpole Moore Tryon in Downtown Hartford. Read the story about how this painting evolved to a t-shirt on their website.

Beneath the calm exterior is a fast-running river,

Flowing quickly as you merge with life’s tasks.

Take a moment each day to integrate

your being with your essence

and the divinity within.
 

Stop looking at flaws to distract you from your purpose.

Feel the way of the warrior, of your true animalistic nature.

Be the love. Grow like a tree. Mature yourself.
 

Come let me show you the beauty of this world.

Everything is beautiful.

Your pain is beautiful.

Everyone is your teacher.

Everyone is your mirror.

Be here now.
 

The basis of human life is to explore your boundaries and finish your thoughts.

Focus your intention and set to your task.

Ground yourself in a new reality of your own making.
 

Empty yourself of the training you received up until now.

Abandon it, because now that you know how to live,

you need to learn how to die.

Separate from your body while you are alive,

so you can more easily transition later.
 

The wheel of life is going to turn whether you struggle or
surrender. Time is precious. Your life is short upon this earth.
Shimmer in your existence. Open your eyes.

Better that you be open to the impossible,

than restrict your soul

with the limits of possibility.

Communicate from the heart

and move there from your brain-mind.

Live in that place,

but don’t forget to

occasionally visit the mind.

There is wisdom there.

Within this abstract color

is all the wisdom of the universe.

Play in it, for it is your gift,

to you, from you, through you.
 

Do not fear death, for it is only another transformation.

You are not alone,

nor will you ever be alone,

because we are all one.

Add in the L from love and alone becomes all one.

We will be with you

through every transformation,

at every turn.
 

Peel away the layers of yourself

and you’ll go another level.

Deeper and deeper

until the watcher is far away

and you find yourself

at the center of the universe,

also at the edge.
 

Get to the core to find the truth.

Get down to the canvas

to where you first began.

Here you are full circle,

looking for meaning before creation,

looking for meaning after creation.

Seeker, the answers are inside.

Sink into the uncomfortable place

and feel its experience.

There are beings in other worlds

that wish they had emotion

and can only feel it through you.

So feel it full-throttle.

It’s in your nature!

Stretch with your soul

to the far-reaches of the universe.

Reach past the furthest point in your imagination,

and then go further still.

There you will find the edge of reason and belief.
 

This shadow needs tending

or the havoc will be strong enough

to push you into a dark delirium of serious consequence.

Meet this dark collective and personal being.

Hold him close. Learn from his wisdom.
 

She won’t harden because when you’re done with the show,

she’s out of here and back to the place

from where she was summoned.

Angels are temporary visitors,

not permanent muses or protectors.
 

Seek because it brings you places and keeps you curious.

But know that not all things are knowable

and there are questions you will still have in the end.

Find the unanswerable questions

and take a guess.

Spirit loves when you guess!
 

Know that feeling when you look in the mirror

and don’t fully recognize yourself?

That’s your spirit saying, hey,

I’m just hanging out in this body for a while.

I know it’s strange but don’t sweat it.

The journey doesn’t last too long

and you’re guaranteed

to learn a few things.

Your unique voice is what’s required

to elevate humanity

to its next level

of conscious evolution.

Be empowered by that voice.

Let it rise up to help others

gather their strength.

There is work to do.

Journey along the spiral

of your own life’s making.

Go back and forth

and see where you’ve been.

Journey on the vortex

of the path that is before you.

Do not forget where you’re coming from.

You’ll need to remember it

when you get to where you’re going.