I’ve titled this body of work, Imaginary Friends. My usual work takes the form of allegories, visual puzzles inviting us to think about social justice, the challenges of racism, the crisis of climate change, the tragedy of gun violence, and yes, the path forward as we try to solve these problems. Sometime these projects can seem heavy and for balance, I need to work on something that brings a smile. These “friends” keep me company while I work. They are inspired by photographs of children from around the world—some living in neighborhoods like mine, some living in poverty, some living amid social unrest. They invite me to see the world through their eyes. With the permission of their original photographers, I have plucked them out of their surroundings and put them in more gentle places, introducing them to some of the animals waiting to be painted into one of my Allegory paintings. Their presence on my easel brings a bit of innocence into the studio...and perhaps even a bit of hope. Imagine that!

Laurie Hoen’s paintings articulate ideas and ask questions that underscore the ongoing challenges defining the social and political landscape of contemporary events. She weaves visual narratives based on the notion that the embodiment of an idea, quality, or feeling in an allegorical character of an animal or bird can cause a flickering of something in the imagination. Without casting judgement, her work asks us to think though tough questions about who we are and who we want to be.