Name: Lauren Lola
Age: 19
City/Town: Newark, CA
Country: United States
Places Travelled & Place lived: Born in Fremont, CA. Raised in Newark, CA. Travelled to Iowa, Hawaii, Virginia, Washington D.C., England, France, Belgium, Netherlands, Germany, Switzerland
Books: The Twilight Saga, Harry Potter series, The Fountainhead, The Joy Luck Club, The Whale Rider, Sky Dancer
Era of History: The 1960s
Films: Whale Rider, Spirited Away, The Karate Kid, Avatar, Finding Forrester
Music: Bruno Mars, Charice, Black Eyed Peas, Far East Movement, Michael Jackson, Lady Gaga, The Beatles
Authors: Witi Ihimaera, Stephenie Meyer, J.K. Rowling, Ayn Rand
Teachers/Education: Currently attending California State University, East Bay
Occupation: College student, assistant editor, freelancer, writer
What would one find in the pages of your Paperblanks journal?
Anything that I normally wouldn’t say to other people or subjects that I’d rather just vent to myself about are all incorporated into my Paperblanks journals, as well as my own creative writing, quotes that inspire me and lyrics from favorite songs.
Do you have any personal philosophies about writing, art, creation or culture?
I believe that the experiences one overcomes – whether good or bad – can be transformed into art in the end. Art has the ability to send a solid message, and anything from one’s life and experience can be favorable material to pursue one’s artistic endeavors.
Do you have any specific themes that you continually refer back to in your work?
Life, time, space, energy… these are what I fall back on as the most prominent themes in my journals. I believe that everything happens for a reason and we are all placed on this earth with a purpose. The journey of pursuing that purpose and finding out what it is provides a source of inspiration for my writing.
No matter what type of creative art you make, what or who first inspired you to make it an essential part of your life?
I think it was subconsciously my great-aunt who inspired me. She only met me once, when I was six months old, so I don’t have a real conscious memory of our encounter. However, her description of me as “a real Lola,” one with the “hand of an artist,” has always left an impression on me and motivated me to become a writer at a young age.
She never explained her opinion of what “a real Lola” is but the way I see it, I believe it’s a member of my family who is a very creative person, a very broad thinker and not afraid to address their different points of views to others. This may leave people either really inspired or really confused, but either way it shows that “a real Lola” makes an impression somehow.
How did you find Paperblanks?
My dad gave me a Paperblanks journal for my thirteenth birthday and I loved it immediately. Over the years I’ve had so many different designs and have found each notebook to be quite useful.
Paperblanks is my favorite journal company. In fact, whenever I stroll into a rare bookstore (knowing how this economy is), I look first to see if they have any journals from Paperblanks.
What sets Paperblanks apart from other journals you’ve used?
I think Paperblanks makes artists want to express themselves. With all the gorgeous cover designs created by artists from many different time periods, I find their books to be inspiring. The paper quality is also very good and it is reassuring to me that I’ll still be able to see my own handwriting even several decades from now.
Do you have any advice for other creative people?
My advice for other people is to keep pursuing your creative work. Don’t let anyone else put you down or tell you you’re not good enough. It’s not a waste of time at all.
Our Artist Series features snapshots of the creative people who use our journals. From all parts of the world, and all walks of life, we celebrate the infinite number of ways in which creativity can be expressed. If you would like to have your story featured, email fmallett@hartleyandmarks.com.
