Artist Spotlight: Laura Steinhauer
Meet the Artist
Laura Steinhauer is a coastal artist whose work is rooted in realism, curiosity, and a love for the ever-changing world along the water. While her style leans realistic, she’s always experimenting, loosening up, and allowing her paintings to evolve as she goes.
Her subjects often return to familiar themes like coastal birds, boats, and seascapes, but Laura is never interested in staying in one lane for too long. “I’m always open to trying new things,” she shares. That openness shows up in her work, where strong composition meets playful exploration.
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Artistic Style & Inspiration
Laura describes her style as realism… for now. She’s constantly pushing herself to try something different, whether that means adjusting her brushwork, shifting color choices, or experimenting with tools.
Her paintings are bold and full of color. She loves working with cobalt, cobalt teal, magenta, naphthol red, and yellows. Color is never an afterthought in her work. It’s part of the conversation.
"Surfing The Wave"
What She’s Drawn To
Coastal birds, boats, and wide-open seascapes are recurring subjects in Laura’s work. Birds, in particular, hold a special place.
“They’re probably my favorite to paint,” she says. Her connection to them runs deep. Laura’s father, who lived on the water in Charleston, South Carolina, was her biggest art critic. After he lost his hearing in his 50s, she would email him photos of her works in progress. His feedback was precise and thoughtful. “Longer beak.” “More yellow in the beak.”
They spent years fishing together and pointing out birds along the waterways. Those moments still guide her work today.
"Dock Duty"
Tools and Process
Laura isn’t precious about her tools. She enjoys experimenting and finding unexpected ways to create strong lines and shapes. A window cleaner, for example, can become the perfect tool for a boat mast or rigging. She often pairs that with a blender brush to pull everything together.
Her process is hands-on, intuitive, and full of experimentation. That balance between structure and play is what gives her work its personality.
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What’s New
Laura is always working on something new. Right now, she’s painting a schooner inspired by the British Virgin Islands, exploring scenes of snowy egrets, and continuing to build out her coastal series.
She’s also just launched a new Instagram page, @sea_spray_studio, where she shares new work and behind-the-scenes moments from her studio practice.
"Marsh Lit Morning"
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Now Available: Laura Steinhauer Artist Collection
We’re excited to launch Laura Steinhauer’s Artist Collection at The Green Room at 831. The collection includes five original works, now available in the gallery.
Each piece reflects Laura’s love of coastal life, bold color, and thoughtful storytelling. These works are available to collect now and ship directly from the artist.
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Connect with Laura
Follow Laura on Instagram at @sea_spray_studio to see her latest work and what she’s creating next.
Explore her full Artist Collection now at The Green Room at 831.