“I make space for both the light and dark aspects of existence in my work, to soothe the hurt that comes with experiencing loss and the difficulties of being human.”
— Erin LaCerra
I grew up amidst the gentle woods of Pennsylvania and now reside near the misty forests of Portland, Oregon. I am an artist creating in the genre of transcendental surrealism. My paintings are uplifting, otherworldly and colorful. I gather inspiration from dreams, meditations and nature, psychology, emotions and spiritual experiences.
For me, painting is a reflection of my relationship with nature. As a child, I developed a spiritual understanding of the environment: plants, animals, the weather, and the elements — each with their own sentience. I was sensitive to energy and nurtured a kinship with the unseen world. I began to channel this connection through creative expression.
In adulthood, I cultivated dream and meditation practices that came to influence my painting. In particular, shamanic journey meditation strengthened my ability to seek guidance and communicate with the helping spirits I had befriended as a child. In some disciplines, these alternate realms of consciousness are believed to be the true reality. While I don’t know that one state of reality or consciousness is more true than another, I believe our experiences in every plane of existence have value.
Each journey into the otherworld, whether through dreams or meditations, provides a wealth of visual information: symbols, figures, landscapes, ceremonies, healings, conversations, and adventures. Sometimes I know what the messages mean, and sometimes not. One thing is certain: the visions motivate my work, and my paintings are imbued with their magic.
I have experimented with many mediums over the course of my career, but watercolor has become my greatest collaborator and primary medium. Painting with it feels like having a conversation. When I apply a wash of color, it is my turn to speak. As the paint disperses, it is my turn to listen. Sometimes the process is slow, and other times rapid. I find working with it to be like a meditation in and of itself. Locking into a creative flow is a form of trance and profound things can come of it.
I am also captivated by moments of transition; such as sunrise, sunset, and twilight. The spectrum of light, atmosphere and colors of these times form the backdrop for the majority of my paintings. These are also the occasions for which the veil between worlds is most thin and spiritual connection is most accessible.
I likewise have an interest in ancestral lineage, life, death, and other lives. I am fascinated by birds, branches, and the beyond. I make space for both the light and dark aspects of existence in my work, to soothe the hurt that comes with experiencing loss and the difficulties of being human. Exploring the continuation of the spirit beyond our perceived reality gives me comfort. The unseen world is equally as valuable as the seen world. It is my mission to represent that effectively.
In 2022, I experienced a devastating injury that permanently impaired my hearing, leaving me with severe tinnitus and hearing loss. My ability to hear normally was irrevocably altered. In the aftermath, I had difficulty sleeping, cried every day, had crippling anxiety, severe depression and thoughts of ending my life. Somehow, I accessed a deep strength I didn’t know I had and kept painting.
My work underwent a significant shift. Up until the injury, I presented work that featured local scenery of the Pacific Northwest, because it was what I thought might sell. I painted surreal works, but I was timid about showing them and how they might be recieved. The injury changed me so profoundly and I no longer cared about what might sell. I leaned more fully into representing the coexistence of life and death, as well as the presence of the light, the dark in all things. It was a miracle I was able to paint at all, so when I did, it was raw, real and – to my surprise – embraced by my audience.
It had always been my mission to transmute the complexities of life through art, but following the injury, I realized the portrayal of these lessons in my paintings could also provide a sense of healing for others. My relationship to the spirit world also deepened, having plummeted into the depths of grief and despair. What I discovered was that this was not a time for my life to end. It was a time for expansion. Whatsmore, I knew it wouldn’t be the last time I experienced a devastating loss. This was an opportunity to prepare myself to handle the tribulations that lay ahead.
There are many avenues for those who wish to become collectors of my work. Paintings and prints are available through my website, at select retail stores, at limited in-person events and for wholesale. Perhaps the most meaningful way I share my work is through the workshops I teach, in which I share my process for tapping into the otherworld and manifesting spiritual insights with the help of watercolor. The focus is on the process, not the product. It’s about letting go, connecting with the inner child, and engaging in painting as a form of trance work. For those interested in joining me for a workshop either in person or online please visit my events page!
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“It takes drive, courage and ingenuity to have a successful art career. It means following your heart, even when you can’t see the path forward and even if it seems like everyone else is telling you not to.”
SunGazette, April 2012
“Despite their burdens and inanimate forms, [LaCerra’s] caricatures represent real people striving to overcome social and personal challenges within the context of their demanding society.”
SunGazette, July 2007
"The symbolism of [LaCerra’s] work pulls the viewer into a dreamlike experience; however, elements of realism such as distant landscapes, gas wells and tears force the viewer to consider the true impact of the subject matter within the context of his or her own life.”
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Juried Artisan Events
2024 | Crafty Wonderland - Portland, OR
2024 | Portland Open Studios - Portland, OR
2024 | Art Fair Jackson Hole - Jackson Hole, WY
2023 | Crafty Wonderland - Portland, OR
2023 | Portland Open Studios - Portland, OR
2023 | Bend Summer Fest - Bend, OR
2022 | Crafty Wonderland - Portland, OR
2022 | Urban Craft Uprising - Seattle, WA
2022 | Wintry Market - Boise, ID
2022 | Northwest Marine Art Works - Portland, OR
2021 | Crafty Wonderland - Portland, OR
2021 | Slabtown Maker’s Market - Portland, OR
2019 - 2024 | Portland Saturday Market - Portland, OR
Solo Shows2024 | Places - GroundedNW, Portland, OR
2023 | Landscapes & Dreamscapes - Fresh Love, Portland, OR
2019 | Dreamy Ewie - Bodecker Foundation, Portland, OR
2015 | Banish Fear from Your Heart - Fly Awake PDX, Portland, OR
2013 | 27 Art Show - Harvest Artisan Collective, Williamsport, PA
2012 | Dreamscape Delicacies - Barrel 135, Williamsport, PA
2007 | Recent Works - Gustonian Gifts, Williamsport, PA
2006 | Dublin Prints - Peter Herdic House, Williamsport, PA
2004 | New Works - Genetti Hotel, Williamsport, PA
Group Shows2024 | Portland Open Studios Preview Show - Olympic Mills Bldg, Portland, OR
2023 | 6x6x6 - Alberta Street Gallery, Portland, OR
2022 | Friends of PSM - Portland, OR
2021 | Environmental Destiny - Cave Gallery, Vancouver, WA
2019 | Sip & Sketch - Fly Awake PDX, Portland, OR
2011 | There Be Monsters - Grey Gallery, Williamsport, PA
2010 | Positively Fourth Street Galleria - Fourth Street Gallery, Williamsport, PA
2009 | Creative Madness - Harvest Artisan Collective, Williamsport, PA
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2023 | Regional Art & Culture Council Grant Recipient
2004 | Jackie Thomas Art Excellence Award, Williamsport, PA
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2023-present | Dream in Watercolor Workshops, Portland, OR
2016-2018 | Portland Montessori School, Portland, OR
2013-2016 | Art Jam, Portland, OR
2012-2016 | Little Wing School of Rock, Portland, OR
2012-2016 | Preschool of the Arts, Portland, OR
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2021 | Balsamroot Ranch, Lyle, WA
2018 | Sou’Wester Artist Residency, Seaview, WA
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Pennsylvania College of Technology, Williamsport, PA
Bachelor of Science - Applied Human Services | Minor - Psychology | Graduated May 2011
Associate of Applied Science - Individual Studies | Psychology Concentration | Graduated December 2007
Dublin Business School, Dublin, Ireland
Philosophy, Freudian Psychology, Cognitive Psychology | 2006
Lock Haven University, Lock Haven, PA
Studio Arts | 2004 to 2006
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2024 | Portland Saturday Market Documentary, Portland, OR