Lora Hlavsa

How and why did you become an artist?

Like many, my creative practice started as a child. I was fortunate to grow up in a family where creativity was cherished and encouraged. At various times in my childhood, my grandmothers both lived with us, and they were creative powerhouse in their own right. My maternal grandmother was a professional seamstress who could make anything. My paternal grandmother was a piano teacher, seamstress and artist. Through their instruction and the encouragement of my parents, I began to develop my skills as an artist.

While I pursued art in high school, I graduated into the recession and decided to pursue a more “safe” liberal arts degree. While I minored in Studio Art and kept on honing my skills, my artistic interests took a backseat. After graduating I worked a variety of odd jobs until finally landing work as a graphic designer and art director, which kept me busy until 2020 and the COVID-19 pandemic.

With so much free time at home on my hands, I was finally able to spend more time devoted to my art. I began sharing my work on social platforms and experimenting more, and found community with other artists online at a critical time in both the world and in my life. I participated in my first exhibition in 2020, and from there I continued to pursue art in the evenings outside of my 9-5 job.

In late 2024, I could no longer ignore the pull of my artistic dreams and the stars aligned for me to pursue art full-time as a career. While I have only been doing this full time for about 6 months, I feel so at peace every morning when I enter my studio and I get to focus on simply making. Deep down, I always knew that a 9 to 5 wasn’t necessarily what was best for my brain, and I am so fulfilled by being a practicing artist and the variety of work that I get to do, from making art to teaching to collaborating with other creatives.

What medium(s) do you work in?

Acrylic, acrylic paint, sometimes mixed media.

How long have you been working as an artist?

I started exhibiting my work in 2020, and started pursuing my art full-time in late 2024.

What are some of your biggest inspirations as an artist?

A constant source of inspiration for me has been the fashion world. When I was young, both of my grandmothers would make clothes for me, and I was so compelled by how they would draw and construct these garments. As a teenager in the 2000’s, Project Runway had me in a chokehold, and I began sewing and designing my own clothes. My career as an art director brought me to New York to work on sets with photographers whose work I had admired in fashion magazines. To this day, I love seeing how people use fashion and garments to express themselves and tell a story to the world, and I often try to capture that in my work.

At the end of the day, I suppose I am really inspired by people and the diverse range of humans that populate this world. I like to think that my work tells loud stories about quiet moments — often I experiment with portraiture that is marked by bright colors and pattern, but often depicts the subject doing a quiet or subtle activity.

What is your connection to Northeast Minneapolis?

As a long-time resident of Minneapolis, Northeast has been my destination for all things arts and culture over the years. I’ve attended many an Art-A-Whirl and open studios, seen many a live show at 331, and sung karaoke at every NE establishment possible. While I currently work out of my home in South Minneapolis, it has been a long-time dream to have a studio of my own in Northeast so that I can be a more established member of the NE arts community.

How does Art-A-Whirl benefit you as an artist?

While I have enjoyed attending Art-A-Whirl festivities as a patron for many years, 2025 will be my first year participating in Art-A-Whirl as an artist. I am so excited to be participating by popping up at Moth Oddities, a venue which perfectly intersects with my interest in fashion and garments. The community that shows up at Art-A-Whirl is in my mind the top benefit — while I hope to sell work, I look forward to connecting with AAW attendees over a shared interest in art and Northeast Minneapolis.

Any good stories or memories of an experience at Art-A-Whirl that you can share? What stands out?

One of the first years I attended Art-A-Whirl, I attended the market in the parking lot at 331 Club and found the most perfect pair of vintage cowboy boots and a bronze-cast elephant tusk necklace from an artist whose name I wish I could remember. While I didn’t have a ton of disposable income as a 23 year-old bartender, I was so inspired to see folks out there sharing their creativity and since them have wanted to follow in their footsteps.

What has being a NEMAA member meant to you? What do you value most about membership?

I am a fairly recent NEMAA member, but joining NEMAA felt like a step that helped legitimize my status as a Minneapolis artist. NEMAA and Art-A-Whirl are iconic parts of the Minneapolis art scene and to have my profile on NEMAA.org and be participating in AAW makes me feel like I’ve made it as an artist,.

What do you wish more people knew about the arts scene in Northeast Minneapolis?

I do wish that there was more integration between the fine arts and music scenes in Minneapolis. One thing that I love about Art-A-Whirl is how all of the local non-art related businesses get in on the fun by hosting concerts or artist pop-up of their own! But I feel like sometimes people who show up just for the music at AAW adjacent venues forget that the arts scene is still there for the rest of the year. 

Why is art important in our community?

Art is a critical part of building community because art is a means of communicating ideas, experiences, values, and emotions. Without it, our communities would both lack the aesthetic beauty that is created through art, but also they would lack an important means of connection. Through art, we can tell our stories and create a more beautiful world.

Can you imagine a world WITHOUT the arts community in Northeast Minneapolis? How would the community be different?

Northeast Minneapolis is a long-time working class community, and I cannot imagine a world without the arts community because art is often a means of resistance for the working class.

What are your hopes and dreams for Art-A-Whirl, NEMAA, and/or the Northeast Minneapolis Arts District in the next 30 years?

I hope that the Northeast Minneapolis Arts District continues to grow and thrive, offering opportunities to more artists so they can share their ideas with our community and the world at large.

If you could make one change in Northeast Minneapolis, no matter the cost, what would it be?

Better access via public transportation. As a former geographer, this is very important to me.

Tell us again why you love being an artist and what your work brings to the community.

I love being an artist because it feels like it doesn’t feel like I am limited to any one thing. In my previous life, I was often limited to my job description and required to stay in my lane, even when my curiosity encouraged me to do otherwise. As an artist, I can explore ideas to my heart’s content and hone my skills as a painter so that I can better communicate my ideas through painting. I can also build community through my work, connecting with other artists and leading workshops and lectures with students interested in learning more about creativity. I am also an entrepreneur who handles the finances and logistics of being a small business. Being an artist allows me to be all of the things I want to be and to connect with people near and far over shared values and a love of art.

A big facet of my work is showcasing diversity in my subjects. As a mixed-race Filipino-American who was born in Minnesota but raised in California, I think that diversity is one of the most beautiful things about America, and I aspire to tell the stories of the wide range of people who live here.

I do this through my figurative work and also through some of my still-life work, like my risograph print series “The People’s Pantry,”which highlights pantry staples of different Southeast Asian ethnicities. It warms my heart when someone comes up to me and tells me that they see themselves in my work — and that is the feeling that I chase as an artist. It is a privilege to create art that helps other people feel seen.