"Lauren" - a nod to a 90's lovestory.

There are some things that never really leave you — they just wait quietly in the background of your memory until one day they show up on your canvas.

“Lauren” was born from that feeling.

This piece is deeply inspired by the classic Ralph Lauren bed linens of the 1990s — the ones that felt elegant but lived-in, floral but tailored, traditional but somehow still fresh. Those patterns carried a sense of comfort and refinement all at once. They were soft, romantic, and timeless, and that mood is exactly what I wanted to capture here. 

But this painting holds an even more personal layer for me.

The very first perfume Toby ever gave me was Lauren by Ralph Lauren back in the Year of our Lord, Nineteen Hundred and Ninety Five.  (I refuse to speak or write anything from that century any other way.) That fragrance instantly takes me back to that season of life — young love, new memories, and the beginning of a story we’re still living. When I was working on this piece, I realized it carried the same feeling: romantic, classic, and filled with nostalgia. It felt only right to name her “Lauren.”  

The bouquet is composed of layered blush blooms and pale green florals, arranged with a slightly formal structure but painted with loose, expressive brushwork. I love that contrast — polished inspiration interpreted through painterly movement and texture. The deep navy background anchors everything, giving the piece that heritage, Ralph Lauren richness, while the flowers keep it warm, inviting, and feminine.

“Lauren” feels like a nod to a beautifully made bed, crisp cotton sheets, morning light through curtains, and the quiet luxury of home. It’s traditional without being stiff, romantic without being overly sweet — a balance I’m always chasing in my work.

This painting is about nostalgia, comfort, first love, and classic design that never goes out of style.

With love and lots of nostalgia,

Teresa