Through color, texture, and experimentation, hidden feelings become visual stories — inviting others to find pieces of themselves within the work.

Laura Nagaran-McCarthy

Current Explorations

Big & Bold

Layering color, texture, and rhythm to reveal the hidden stories within us.

She In Layers

She In Layers is a mixed media series where washi tape forms the essence of each portrait—hair, skin, and clothing woven from pattern and color. These introspective works explore identity, emotion, and the quiet stories we carry within.

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Visceral

Visceral is an exploration of emotion at its rawest—where feeling overrides reason and instinct takes the lead. Inspired by “Twisted” by MISSIO, these abstract works dive into the darker, more chaotic corners of the mind. Layers of color, motion, and texture collide to reveal the beauty in what is unfiltered, messy, and deeply human.

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Lucid Fragments

Lucid Fragments drifts through the space between memory and dream. Inspired by the Pearl Jam lyric “She dreams in color, she dreams in red,” this series explores the vivid language of dreams and the fragments we carry into waking life. Caputring the blurred edge between imagination and reality, between what’s remembered and what’s felt.

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Through My Eyes

Exploring identity, emotion, and memory through layered, intuitive mixed media.

My work explores layers of emotion and identity shaped by family, memory, and time. I’m drawn to uncover feelings that have been quiet or hidden, transforming them into color, texture, and form. Working with mixed media—watercolor, ink, acrylic, alcohol ink, washi tape, fibers, beads, and collage—I build abstract narratives that feel both intimate and universal.

Music guides much of my process, influencing rhythm, movement, and flow. Each piece becomes a visual improvisation—alive with gesture and emotion. The recurring imagery of women reflects fragments of my own story and the shared connections between us.

Through vibrant color and layered materials, I hope to inspire reflection, recognition, and creativity in others. My art is both self-discovery and connection—a reminder that expression itself is a form of healing.

Intimate Works

Every now and then, I challenge myself to work small. It gives me room to experiment, loosen up, and push through creative blocks.

Inside My Creative World