Laura Lacambra Shubert inspires with her painting talent, quest for knowledge, beautiful home, and festive dinner parties.

Flair is defined as stylishness and originality. The second word is the key. Being original requires thought and interjecting one’s point of view. People with flair never miss an opportunity for self-expression. They dream, they observe, they break the rules, they avoid the mundane and the monotonous. These qualities make creative people so much fun. They dress, cook, live, and create in a way that is different than any other. They are endlessly fascinating. For this reason, from time to time a “flair” who is particularly interesting and inspiring will be featured. The first profile is of my friend Laura Lacambra Shubert.

Laura decided to hypnotize herself into becoming a painter. She was 11 and learned this nifty tip at school. Her hypnotic skills are unproven, but her painterly skills are well-known in and around Florida.

Laura’s large property houses a compound consisting of her lovely home, a studio for her on the first level, an office for her husband above, a guest cottage, and another outbuilding for storage. When her kids were small she used to paint at night after they had gone to bed. Her studio was a shed that flooded. Consequently she donned rain boots and painted the night away.

A healthy diet of interesting books and limited social media improves creativity.

Like many successful artists, Laura has a disciplined daily routine. She gets up early, has coffee, watches the news with her husband and then goes for a walk. Painting begins around 11 am. Except for a lunch break she paints until 3 or 4. While painting she likes to listen to podcasts, usually a biography or Clarke Howard who teaches her all sorts of tips. A common thread seen in many creative people is their desire for continued learning. This is true of Laura. She reads as a way to recharge. She claims she reads fluff in addition to the more intellectual topics. Doubt it. Some of her favorite titles are A Traveler in Rome, by H.V. Morton, Educated by Tara Westover, Secret Knowledge by David Hockney, and Bad Boy by Eric Fischl.

Laura enjoys Instagram for its beautiful photos of spectacular houses and travel. Serena Crawford and Michelle Nussbaumer are two favorites. A timer on her phone prevents her from wasting too much time on this highly distracting app. While most people scour Pinterest and Instagram for ideas, Laura looks inward. When she hosts a dinner party she enjoys the planning and thought behind it. She begins by putting together a group always introducing new people. She considers the menu never serving something guests have previously eaten at her home. Then comes the table setting often including a painted menu placed at each plate. Many hostesses create a beautiful table. Hers are that, but always something more.

She won’t paint your portrait unless she beheads you.

Laura prefers to capture moments and memories rather than specific likenesses. She finds faces distracting and smiles creepy. Consequently, she often crops out heads or paints without facial details. She is intrigued by Degas’ style of cropping dancers or painting only half of a horse.

In addition to Degas, she admires the works of Joaquín Sorolla, Zurbarán, and Joan Mitchell.

Creatives fashion fantastic homes.

Laura’s house is one of my favorites in town. Besides being architecturally beautiful, there is a certain energy, a spark when you are inside.

The living room is a lesson in proportion. It feels spacious yet enveloping. The decor is a great mix of antique and vintage with a touch of sleekness making a perfect blend.

Laura will sometimes paint a well-known painting as an exercise. She painted Manet’s Dead Toreador for its horizontal layout and its olive green and pale pink color scheme. After seeing her rendition, the beautiful colors have stayed in my mind with the desire to replicate them in an interior. She is contemplating the above sheep by Zurbarán as it would be an exercise in precision painting. Some of her past choices have served in loosening her style.

After visiting San Miguel de Allende, México Laura questioned her lack of bold color. Her house makes the case for living without.

Artists prove that simple materials can be quite chic and often a more interesting solution than an expensive alternative.

Some people might remove the shutters in her home seeing them as dated. That would be a shame as they are humble, useful and utterly charming. The dentil moulding and built-in china cabinet contribute to the charm quota.

Great homes show a personal touch.

Dennis Campay, a North Florida artist, is a friend who is featured in some of the same galleries. A few years ago, they each painted a painting for the other. They both wrote a letter explaining why they painted what they did. Each’s letter and artwork was displayed in their joint show. Dennis’ piece for Laura is shown above.

Laura likes to accompany her husband John when he flies. She finds being up in the air looking down quite beautiful. She credits her husband for supporting her career. He grew up in a family that valued artists. Working at Disney as a translator while wearing an embarrassing costume led to recurring scary dreams. A happy ending was in sight however. She fled the castle to the previously mentioned shed changing into a preferable costume of white smock and boots. A friend brought a local gallery owner to see her work. She has been happily painting ever since making homes around the South more beautiful.

To view more of Laura’s work see here.

Casa V Interiors can inject flair into your home.