The halls of Arbuthnot display portrait after portrait of Ellis leaders—former Heads of School who each, in their own way, influenced and inspired The Ellis School and its students. Thanks to Lauren’s work, a portrait of Ms. Finley will soon hang among them. Lauren painted the official portrait of former Head of School Robin Newham, and was thrilled to be commissioned again by the school she holds dear.

Lauren, also an Ellis Lifer who arrived in kindergarten, remembers the art building as a place where she was encouraged to be her own note and get lost in creative discovery. Once she got to Upper School, she would stack her study halls so that her schedule allowed her to spend long blocks of time in Ellis’ art studios. While there, she formed close bonds with these inspiring art teachers—particularly Belle Moldovan and Linda Tonetti Dugan, Ceil Sturdevant and Karen Kaighan. These women were not only mentors, but enthusiastic cheerleaders, encouraging big sisters, and fellow compatriots of the arts. Their teaching styles, observant and steadfast, expertly avoided interfering with students’ creativity. Instead, they observed what students were drawn to and nudged them along their own path.

This nudging in Ellis’ creative environment, combined with support from her father who was an artist and architect, led her to a pre-college program at Carnegie Mellon University where she received technical training across a variety of artistic mediums. Together, these experiences prepared her well to attend Rhode Island School of Design (RISD) where she received a BFA in Film and Animation.

Now based in Los Angeles, Lauren is an Emmy Award-winning director and visual artist known for her ethereal visuals and multifaceted approach to art, design, film techniques, and branding. She has created original art and directed for internationally acclaimed design, animation, VFX studios, and agencies. Her work is included in the Museum of Modern Art’s permanent motion collection, her sculptures have been exhibited at the Victoria and Albert Museum in London, she has directed Super Bowl ads, and her art has been on display on Rodeo Drive, at Radio City Music Hall, and in Times Square. She also earned credits as the concept designer for Beyoncé's film Black Is King and for her work as the animation director for Amazon's Utopia series.

Growing up, Lauren was in awe of the portraits of the Heads of School and would stare at them and try to figure out how they were made. Now, she sees painting Ms. Newham and Ms. Finley’s portraits as a way for her to honor the Heads of School, and keep her tied to the memories of the teachers and experiences she had at Ellis.

"The arts department teachers—Belle and Linda, Robin Newham, Patricia Grey, and others such as Norma Greco, Nancy Clifton, Mavis Close, and many more—were foundational in my upbringing as a young woman. That’s the epitome of being a great teacher. You guide students on their path and then they learn to do their thing. All Ellis teachers have that cadence, that raw energy.”