Interior designer, artist, and philanthropist Laura Quinn Hawk has made a remarkable impact through her keen aesthetic vision and creative spirit. Her work as both a designer and visual artist demonstrates a lifelong dedication to beauty and imagination. Though widely acclaimed in her fields, she remains devoted to nurturing creativity, nature, and family. Laura Quinn Hawk’s journey reveals the power of following one’s passions.
Introduction
Laura Quinn Hawk is an award-winning interior designer and mixed media artist based in Ohio. She founded the successful design firm Laura Quinn Hawk Designs, which has completed projects across the United States. Her artistic talents encompass painting, sculpture, and fiber arts. She has exhibited her mixed media pieces in galleries and shows.
Both as a designer and artist, Laura values beauty, innovation, and craftsmanship. She finds inspiration in nature, architecture, and art history. Her projects integrate visual arts seamlessly into living spaces. Laura Quinn Hawk’s lifelong connection to aesthetics and nature informs her creative point of view.
Early Life and Education
Born in 1976 and raised in Columbus, Ohio, Laura Quinn Hawk grew up valuing self-expression and appreciating beauty. As a child, she explored drawing, painting, and crafts. Her parents encouraged her creativity, filling their home with art and providing her with lessons. In high school, Laura took art classes and won awards for her work.
After graduating from Upper Arlington High School, Laura attended Miami University in Oxford, Ohio. There she earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree, focusing on interior design. The program taught her technical skills like drafting, computer-aided design, and construction. She also studied architecture, fine art, and art history. This diverse education laid the foundation for her multifaceted career.
Laura’s suburban Midwestern upbringing instilled traditional values like hard work, community, and family. However, from a young age, she was drawn to beauty and originality. Nurturing this creative drive at Miami University empowered Laura to pursue her passions in design and visual art.
Career in Interior Design
After college, Laura Quinn Hawk gained experience at an architecture firm before starting her own interior design company in 2001. Based in Columbus, Ohio, Laura Quinn Hawk Designs completes residential, commercial, and hospitality projects. The firm has expanded to include satellite offices in major cities like Chicago, New York, and Los Angeles.
Laura’s design philosophy centers on livable luxury. She creates comfortable yet visually striking spaces. Many of her projects re-imagine and renovate existing architecture. Her renovations maintain a structure’s character while modernizing layouts and finishes. Laura considers how people live and move through a space. She pays attention to details like lighting, furniture, accessories, and art.
The firm works on projects across the country and has been published widely. Laura’s high-profile clients include professional athletes, celebrities, and luxury brands. Some recent work includes beach houses in Florida, mountain retreats in Utah, and high-rise apartments in Chicago.
Her notable achievements include:
- Winner of the Andrew Martin International Interior Designer of the Year Award in 2010
- Featured designer for KBIS Kitchen and Bath Industry Showhouse in 2015
- Named one of Traditional Home Magazine’s Top 20 Young Designers in 2008
- Best Kitchen Design Award from Qualified Remodeler for a private residence in Columbus in 2022
Laura prioritizes hands-on client collaboration throughout every project. She aims to create spaces as unique as each client while bringing their vision to life. Her personable approach and artistic eye have made Laura Quinn Hawk Designs a go-to firm for luxury interiors.
Artistic Pursuits
In addition to interior design, Laura Quinn Hawk has maintained a passion for visual art since childhood. She works in painting, sculpture, collage, and fiber arts. Her mixed media pieces combine acrylic paint, found objects, textiles, and other materials.
Nature is a recurring theme in Laura’s art. She gathers inspiration from flowers, seashells, butterflies, and birds. Vivid colors and organic shapes give her work an abstract, playful sensibility. She also creates unique sculptures from foraged branches.
While Laura keeps her art and design careers fairly separate, they inform each other. Her art often uses interior design materials like wallpaper, fabric, and flooring samples. She also frequently incorporates her own pieces and commissioned art into interior projects.
Laura has exhibited her mixed media artworks at galleries across Ohio and in group shows around the country. She had her first solo exhibition, Impressions , at Canzani Gallery in Columbus in 2018. Her work hangs in both private and corporate collections. She has plans for more exhibitions in 2023 and 2024.
Pursuing art provides Laura with an expressive creative outlet beyond her design firm. She remains inspired by nature, textures, and found objects. Though not a full-time endeavor, her dedication to her artistic practice reveals the importance of making time for imagination.
Laura Quinn Hawk’s Personal Life
Despite her thriving careers in design and art, Laura Quinn Hawk considers family her top priority. She met her husband A.J. Hawk in 2008 when he was a star linebacker for the Green Bay Packers. They married in 2011 and have two children together.
The family splits their time between homes in Ohio, Wisconsin, and Florida. Laura values maintaining a healthy work-life balance, though her frequent travels for projects provide challenges. Her success allows her to be selective with the projects she takes on. She aims to maximize time at home with her school-aged children.
Laura and A.J. share a passion for nature and conservation. They spend much of their family time hiking, fishing, kayaking, and swimming. Their children attend a nature-based preschool focused on outdoor education and exploration. Laura’s own lifelong connection to the natural world influences her family life.
The Hawk family is also involved in several philanthropic endeavors. This includes their primary initiative, the Laura Quinn Hawk Wild Bird Sanctuary. Located in Ohio, the sanctuary provides conservation, rehabilitation, and education around birds of prey. Their advocacy for raptor conservation brings the family together around shared values.
Though she juggle many responsibilities, Laura considers family her first priority. Nurturing her children’s self-expression, appreciating nature, and giving back to the community remain integral to her life. She aims to pass on her values while providing space for each child’s own passions to unfold.
Philanthropy and Other Endeavors
In addition to the bird sanctuary, Laura Quinn Hawk engages in humanitarian and creative initiatives beyond her primary careers. She serves on the board of A Kid Again, a nonprofit providing cost-free adventures for children with life-threatening conditions. She also supports art programs, architecture preservation, and green space conservation.
Laura recently co-founded an organic perfume line called Forager. Working with master perfumers, she develops scents inspired by memories in nature. The project connects to her interests in art, design, and the natural world. She continues to explore new creative outlets and opportunities to give back.
Though she has achieved success in design and art, Laura remains committed to learning. She takes classes in perfumery, jewelry-making, gardening, and more. Laura also mentors young women pursuing careers in the visual arts and interior design. Her varied pursuits and continued education reveal insatiable curiosity.
Laura Quinn Hawk’s Impact and Legacy
With an illustrious interior design career and dedication to visual arts, Laura Quinn Hawk has made a mark on the worlds of art and design. Her spaces integrate beauty, comfort, and innovation. She maintains integrity and imagination whether working with a blank canvas or renovating a historic structure.
Looking forward, Laura aims to further integrate green design and natural elements into living spaces. She continues to expand her firm’s footprint while remaining hands-on with each project. Laura also plans to show her mixed media artworks in larger solo exhibitions. She intends to publish a book highlighting her design career.
While awards and media placements confirm her success, Laura values artistry over accolades. She continues to pursue new creative frontiers, make time for family, and give back. The greatest impact may be through setting an example of integrating passion, ethics, and mindfulness into one’s work and life.
Conclusion
Laura Quinn Hawk’s journey reveals the fulfillment that comes from following one’s creative spirit. From fine tuning her technical skills to making time for imagination, she exemplifies dedication to both craft and play. Her varied accomplishments stem from nurturing a lifelong sense of wonder.
By building a business around her vision and regularly making space for pure expression, Laura Quinn Hawk achieves balance. Her story provides inspiration to integrate passion into work and appreciate the imagination that fuels innovation. She embodies a mindset of openness, curiosity, and discovery. Though she has already made a substantial impact on art and design, her ongoing creative journey promises even more ahead.
Laura Quinn Hawk’s story highlights the profound power of creativity. By fully embracing her own artistic eye and honoring a sense of childlike wonder, she brings vibrancy and vision to all her pursuits. Laura synthesizes left- and right-brain strengths, blending technical talent with pure imagination. Her varied accomplishments and continual growth stem from a lifelong commitment to follow passion wherever it leads. Though Laura Quinn Hawk has already made a substantial impact on the worlds of art and design, her unrelenting creative spirit ensures her influence and inspiration will continue resonating for years to come
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