About Laurie

Welcome​

​Welcome! My name is Laurie Gaal (or Lauren or Laura, depending on where you know me from - any "L" name will do). I am a born and raised Calgarian with a passion for creating visual art pieces that combine elements of exploration, grit, texture, colour, and technique. 

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History & Coming of Age

Growing up, I always gravitated towards the arts. I can even remember when I was in Grade 1 having my classroom art selected to be shown in a local farmers market. I went to Central Memorial High School, where I was accepted into the esteemed Performing Visual Arts program, specializing in painting. There, I learned vast techniques, mediums and materials, discovered elements of my personal style, and learned about how to show art, which are learnings I still use to this day. Legend has it that my room tile still hangs in the art room and my senior graduate mural still lives on in the English hallway.

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Professional Art

Along with showing pieces in the Illingworth Carr gallery, various university and community political shows, hosting university shows and events, and eventual becoming vice president, then president of the Mount Royal University Art club, I began teaching hundreds of Paint Nites across Calgary, even teaching various charity events to large crowds of hundreds of attendees. This exposure allowed me to create and sell professional art and commissions through my early corporate career, and eventually, I made a decision to move into the corporate world full time.

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Corporate Life & Continued Art 

In my corporate life, I continued passion projects and ad hoc commissions to keep the flame alive, but I found other creative outlets in my career, especially as I focused and excelled at employer and talent branding, creating various corporate resources, project and program management focused on employee experience, and leading on talent branding projects. One of my employers even had an annual art show and auction, where some of my pieces racked up hundreds of dollars in support The Heart & Stroke Foundation. I would occasionally teach Paint Nites in the office, for events, and over the lockdown through the Covid pandemic, I hosted virtual Paint Nites for free to keep spirits high.

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Now, working in a work environment that encourages wellbeing and leaning into your purpose and goals, I have reignited my art focus. In 2023 I had resumed more craft focused arts, like building miniature models, but after my appendix ruptured in 2024, not only did it act as a wake up call to lean into my passions beyond just my career, but it also encouraged me to make a 2025 New Years Resolution to fully get back into my art business before the end of the year.

 

As I restart my art business and practice, not only have I been accepted into a couple shows and galleries, but I recently won the Under $100 Art Show YYC poster contest, an 18-year long standing, well beloved staple art show in Calgary, where my art will now be featured as the show poster image! With this reignited confidence and passion, and new techniques and a refined eye, I can't wait to share my art journey with you and have you be a part of the adventure!

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In late 2025 into 2026, I've had art shown in Gallery Underground, a recently opened Calgary based gallery & tattoo shop in the heart of Inglewood, and shown art as part of the Calgary Trace show, hosted by Public Display Agency at the iconic Contemporary Calgary gallery.

 

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Note on Portfolio Images: I've only began documenting every piece of new art starting in 2025, so portfolio documentation from 2009 to 2024 may be limited.