Hi, I’m Sara Allen of Laughing Lupin Studios

Originally from Minnesota, I moved to Alaska in 2001 and spent the first twenty years nestled in the beautiful mountain town of Girdwood. I relocated to Anchorage some where in the covid blur, where I now live with my husband Nick and my lovable but ridiculous dog, Bobber.

I started painting a few years ago, as a way to help with some difficult emotions & loss I was working through. I’ve lost people I love, and they have been hard losses to bear. So, painting helped, helped in ways I didn’t even really imagine. I quit my usual career 9-5er and have been able to make art my daily life. I’ve always been a maker and crafter, so this was not a giant leap to start painting and playing with color and shape. I even went to art school at one time in my life, and it only took me 20+ years to put that knowledge to use.

My art work is inspired by the wild beauty of Alaska, the resilience of the human spirit, and the magic of knowing there is beauty in chaos. I paint oversized florals and natural scenes in bold, expressive strokes. Not as literal representations, but as dreamlike impressions of how the world feels. Think soft edges, squinty eyed views, and a little wild whimsy.

When I’m not painting, I’m probably crafting something, out walking Bobber, having a snack, or hanging in the hammock with a book.