Painting to process his trauma, Ian’s love for the Arts grew as he began working within many creative fields including fine art and garden design, where he achieved a silver gilt for a garden he designed at the Royal Horticultural Society’s Hampton Court Flower Show in 2009. From 2001 – 2006 Ian held the title of ‘Artist-in-Residence’ with Southeastern, working with local schools and youth groups to broaden their appreciation for modern art. Over his five years of Residency, he also ran a series of Open Studios across the region, turning mundane empty spaces into temporary art studios. Ian’s giving attitude and art activism for the community has resulted in a permanent display of his tile installation located St. Leonards Warrior Square station.
During Ian’s early career as an artist he worked as a comic book illustrator, assisting his father Don Lawrence - creator of the 'Storm’ series. Though he saw great success as an illustrator it was the sense of freedom that came from working on large abstract canvases that truly captivated him. Rather than being led by a brief, abstraction enabled Ian Lawrence’s work to be entirely emotive.
“Since I first began painting, I have been fascinated by the discrepancy between a painted colour and the same colour in nature. The blue of the sky is no more described by a single colour than a book would be by a single word. What we see is a complication of colours that make up an area and this we describe as blue, but anyone who has ever picked up a paintbrush and daubed light blue on a canvas knows that this does not make a sky.” Drawing on his passion for nature, a Lawrence original is distinctly recognised by its bold colour and elemental feel. His work establishes a direct connection between the viewer and the natural laws that govern our world.