LAUREN ANDREU
Make It Sacred
Feminine Embodiment
Lauren’s work is an exploration of her experience with the feminine aspect of God and a celebration thereof through the mystery of her embodiment. Her work is peppered with mythology, folklore, and Jungian archetypes; but she invites the viewer to drop into their emotional body vs their analytical mind. Her guides include pioneers of feminine psychology such as Marion Woodman and Clarissa Pinkola Estes and contemporary womb circle movements. The majority of her inspiration, however, comes from her lived experience descending into her own dark womb.
Originals
Custom Murals
Lauren Andreu
My artistic journey begins in 1st grade. My mother being the first to recognize my innate love for expression. She gave me easy access to art materials, and adored anything I laid before her. Like most artists, I diverted from my first love at the behest of sensible people.
The daughter of a socialist immigrant, I resolved to enter into humanitarian fields. International relations, pre-law, humanities, community organizing, missions work. For 10 years, I worked and volunteered in social worky jobs until I got an actual Masters and license in Social Work.
Unfortunately, those who are most called to the profession, are often the most vulnerable to it’s arrows. It’s impossible to work with the most abused, marginalized, and traumatized and get out unscathed. You carry— I carried their pain with me home, on dates, to outings with family.
After a year, though I loved my job, I could not steward any more stories in my heart. One day, after a client left my office, my body told me “no more” as I began disassociating and developing physical pain, fatigue and paranoia. I had to exit suddenly, and started the following week working as a massage therapist.
But all along the way, I was painting. It seemed to be the only thing that when I gave myself to it, it gave me in equal measure back. I began getting opportunities to show my work and develop murals. After my first show and mural in 2017, I had a dream of myself in deep ceremony, receiving a blessing of initiation. “Why not me” was the clear message.
That road, though, was also peppered with, what can only be described as initiations through the underworld, otherwise known as major depression. My first episode was 2009, and in 2012 I was diagnosed with bipolar ii. The ups and downs were with the intensity of going between heaven and hell. This is not meant to be hyperbole. In actuality, I have in total spent 6 of the last 13 years, in the upside down world. Times where I did not bathe or clothe myself. Was agoraphobic, afraid of the dark, and slept 14 hours a day. Every time feverishly suicidal. Clinging only to the hope and love from my family.
From a masculine perspective, I might fit Carl Jung’s archetype of the “wounded healer”.
From a feminine perspective, I’m a woman who has danced in the flames. One who has entered into agreement with the birth, death, rebirth cycle. Who has had to lay her body at the feet of the mother, and put her whole faith in the light and logos of God.
The work that I do is an inevitable extension of all of this.
From my heart to yours I leave you with this quote from “Dancing in the Flames” by Marion Woodman: “I will give you treasures out of the darkness, and riches that have been hidden away.”
