Lulu’s story of how she became a visual artist is a testament to her belief that God is in the details of our lives. She had many corrective facial surgeries when she was young and well in to her early adulthood due to a birth defect. All the while she had a passion for drawing, painting, fashion design and make up. She became an expert in every aspect of makeup, like matching skin tones. With her skills, she would accentuate her positives and hide her scarring. While being a patient in many different hospitals and while keeping up with schoolwork, she would peruse Vogue magazine. She would paint and draw for hours and even illustrated her own fashion line. Art class was always her favorite class!

As many do, she followed what she thought was a “safe” career path and studied psychology in college. She felt she had to do this to give purpose to all she had been through. After getting her masters degree in counseling, she worked at psychiatric hospitals and medical facilities. After moving from Charlotte, NC to Richmond with her husband she worked in private practice as a marriage and family therapist. In 2007, after her daughter was born, she decided to be a stay at home mom. Then, when her daughter attended preschool, she revisited her love of makeup by becoming a freelance makeup artist. After working with many photographers who really didn’t share her vision, God led her to Jyoti Sackett. She is an internationally published fine art photographer and a mom! They are still great friends to this day. As a team, their work was published in many magazines. Their photos also appeared many times over in Vogue Italia’s, Photo Vogue. Lulu’s childhood dream had come true! Then, when Jyoti and she took a brief hiatus, she picked up her brush and fell back in love with painting.

Lulu’s art style has seen many evolutions since she began in 2015. She used to paint strictly from reference photos. Now, she may use one at the start, but always end up going “off script” and making it her own. Right now, she likes to go into her studio and let the painting flow. She waits to see what emerges and goes with it! She loves using many different materials in her work such as paper collage elements, pastels, charcoal, gesso, and many others. Her abstract portrait work emphasizes the beauty in asymmetry and imperfection, usually with bold strokes and bright hues. Sometimes she will express her emotions by painting an abstract floral, landscape or cityscape.

Lulu’s art is influenced by fashion designers, fine art photographers, makeup artists, beauty and interior design magazines and her faith in Jesus. She feels honored to have had her works collected in the U.S. and abroad. She also has had her work appear on the Bravo TV network shows, “Southern Charm” and “The Real Housewives of Dallas.” Currently she is creating a collection of small works for Coffey and Thompson Gallery in her home town of Charlotte, NC. She also enjoys teaching both amateur and more seasoned artists. If you would like to commission her to create a special work just for you. Contact her through her website at www.luluschwall.com