Finding our common humanity through art

One of the most enduring things humankind can do is create: art, textiles, pottery, even buildings. Thinking back over the centuries, the one thing that has lasted, that has told the story of the generations who have lived before us, has been the creative works the people have put their hands to. Ancient pottery continues to be unearthed in anthropological digs all over the globe, and the Lascaux cave paintings in France, which can be traced back to the Upper Paleolithic Age, are some 15,000 to 17,000 years old.

To create art is to create something that will endure long after we are gone, that will give beauty and meaning to people’s lives down the centuries—if we’re lucky.

How many untold millions of people have seen the Mona Lisa’s smile in the Louvre? Stood in horror and wonder before Picasso’s Guernica? Marveled at Michelangelo’s David? Art is a precious gift that gives us perspective, allows us to dream, and occasionally helps us make sense of history. In its own quietly forceful way, art becomes us.

At this time of year, when it’s dark and cold, Lauren Mesa, an artist and ceramicist, can be found working on the one big painting she does each year. “In the wintertime, when the weather is inclement, I feel permission to stay indoors and create. It’s a way to escape and to restore myself from whatever happens to be going on in my private world or the world at large. It can be a reflective, healing time.”

Lauren began creating art as a kid, when she realized it could be a useful escape from the horrors of mathematics and the turbulent waters of family life. She was also an avid reader, seeking solace in the world of books. “Words and images have always spoken to me,” Lauren says. “I vividly recall the sorrow I felt the day the librarian promoted me to books without illustrations. I began drawing the characters in the various books I consumed, and when an observant teacher asked if I’d draw our classroom’s incubating chicks as they hatched—and later dubbed me ‘The Class Artist’—I was not only encouraged but honored.”

Thus encouraged, Lauren continued to paint, draw, and write, and in college she studied to become an art and writing teacher. “In the masters program, the dean said, ‘There won’t be any jobs for you in California.’ So I made a romantic decision and dropped out with the plan to simply live as an artist,” Lauren says with a laugh. “I worked at Santa Barbara Ceramic Design painting on porcelain pottery. There were two potters and eight artists, and we painted pottery all day long—in fact, I can paint just about any flower without effort because I painted them five days a week for ten years. It was a fledgling business at first, and then grew, and has actually become collectible artwork. I have good memories of being part of that adventure.”

A natural teacher, Lauren loves passing on the gift of art to kids. She worked in a private school for twelve years, and now offers art camps for children at Bidwell Presbyterian Church. These camps are open to the community and present a unique opportunity for children to discover their own unique creative personalities. “When the kids finish a project,” Lauren says, “We line up their paintings—each distinctly different, each a small masterpiece—and they take turns describing what they enjoy about each piece of work. There’s nothing quite like the expressions on their faces: so filled with contentment and hope, and the certainty growing inside them that, hey, maybe I really do have talent! I just love that.”

Lauren feels strongly that we should all be sensitive to our own creative gifts and use them to be true to ourselves. She, herself, has many artistic gifts, though she has been working primarily in ceramics for the last 12 years or so. She currently works with a group of artists at the Koszis Art Studio who fondly call themselves The Claymates. Animals, butterflies, and other elements of nature figure heavily in Lauren’s pieces, and she often finds herself creating with the outdoors in mind. “The natural world is very, very beautiful to me and it gives me solace, too,” she says. “So the idea of creating art to enhance a garden is attractive to me. In my yard there is a large ceramic hare, a chicken, all kinds of sculpted birds, various pods and seeds, a kneeling St. Francis of Assisi, and many mosaic stepping stones.”

Lauren also creates with words. Many of her mosaic pieces have a quote or a saying on them, such as the large mosaic plaque I bought from her during Christmas that has an Irish proverb set above a moody dark green Art Deco tile. Lauren uses stunning pieces of patterned and brightly colored pottery in her mosaics that, coupled with the words she uses, evoke a spirit of hope and joy. Quite a few of the quotes and sayings Lauren uses come from quote books that

Though Lauren has to make some things to sell to make a living, she feels supremely fortunate to be able to do so. Last year, she broke her arm and elbow, and was unsure if she would be able to sculpt or make mosaics again. After much physical therapy and rest, she slowly regained her ability to create.

“I want to find our common humanity in artwork and also through words,” she says.

“When you create something that the viewer is going to look at and say, ‘That gives me hope,’ or, ‘That gives me joy,’ or, ‘That makes me feel satisfied,’ that’s what I want to be part of. I don’t want to just make something that’s cool, different, or unusual; I want to create something that connects with people.” she has been keeping faithfully since the age of 19. They contain lines from poems and songs she found particularly inspiring, and are always near to hand. “I’m not surprised that I use words in art because words have always been supremely important to me,” she says. “The words we speak, the words we see, all of it.”

Lauren’s work can be found in stores around Chico including Bidwell Supply Company and Made in Chico. She also attends many art fairs throughout the year, including the Bridging the Gap 4 Water’s annual markets held in fall, summer and winter. Many artists, including Lauren, will be selling their work at The Chico Arts Festival at St. John’s Episcopal, on Mother’s Day weekend this year, May 12th & 13th. See more of Lauren’s beautiful artworks on Facebook by searching Lauren Mesa Art.

kybella Q&A

What is Kybella®?

Kybella® is an injectable that can permanently dissolve fat cells. It is a synthetic form of a naturally occurring bile acid called deoxycholic acid that causes the lysis of fat cells by destroying the cell membrane.

What is it used for?

It was approved by the FDA in 2015 to reduce fat in the submental area commonly referred to as “double chin”.

How effective is it?

Clinical trials have shown that it is an effective treatment and that up to 82 percent of patients are satisfied with the results.

How many treatments will I need?

Typically, two to six treatments. You usually do see results after one treatment. It depends on the amount of fat.

How much does it cost?

$1,200 to $1,800 dollars per treatment.

What can I expect during and postprocedure?

It’s a quick procedure that takes about 15 minutes to perform. It is fairly pain-free. After the procedure, there could be some swelling of the neck which will go down in a few days. Some patients have a mild skin tightening effect in the submental area, and a few may have some skin laxity after dissolving the fat cells in that area. Radiofrequency skin tightening, and other laser procedures can help tighten the skin.