THE STUDIO
MATERIALITY, PROVENANCE &
ARCHITECTURE.
At Laura Clay Art, the architecture of a piece begins long before a mark is made. We believe that the soul of the artwork resides in the integrity of its materials. We reject the standardized and the disposable in favor of the curated and the historical.
Our studio operates between Austin, Texas and Valenciana, Guanajuato, stocking substrates and tools sourced from historic mills, tanneries, and apothecaries across the globe: from Brooklyn to Venice to Sydney. This commitment to archival quality ensures that every piece is not just an image, but a physical heirloom, built to endure as long as the memories it holds.
Harvested Cochineal A deep crimson red derived from the cochineal insect. We harvest this pigment by hand near our studio in Valenciana, Guanajuato. It is ground and bound in-studio, creating a material connection to pre-Hispanic Mexican tradition and the artist’s bicultural lineage—literally painting with the history of the land.
Drawing Stones A curated selection of hand-rolled pigmented drawing stones. Sourced from the UK, these implements bridge the gap between pure pigment and mark-making, allowing us to sketch with geological earth tones and rare minerals. They introduce an unparalleled level of historical texture and material richness to our preparatory and final drawings.
