Laurence E. Keefe

Watercolor artist Laurence Keefe has worked around the graphic arts his entire life, starting with life classes in college, a stint in photojournalism, marketing conservation materials and writing Life of a Photograph, a standard reference for collectors.

Laurence’s passion for watercolor started in high school when he first saw the work of Rochester master Ralph Avery and realized you could make great art anywhere—even in his home town.

Laurence worked in charcoal and pastel at the O’Neill Studio for three years to acquire the expertise that informs his watercolors. Besides training with artists Brian O’Neill and Jean Lindsay, he has studied with many teachers and at workshops by leading national artists.

He is a signature member of the Rochester Art Club, exhibits in the Lucy Byrnes Gallery of the Memorial Art Gallery and at the Rochester /Finger Lakes Exhibition, and has won multiple awards for his work.

Laurence now teaches beginning to advanced classes at the Creative Workshop at the Memorial Art Gallery. He works primarily in landscape and photo-realist abstractions.

“It’s a moment of delight,” Laurence says, “when a loaded brush touches the paper and an image pours out of it.”