At OZU in April 2013
Laara arrived at Fiumicino Airport holding a Canadian flag, as promised.
She is an international professional painter and author from Vancouver, Canada.
She spent two weeks here at OZU painting, painting and painting. Working on elements: water, fire, ground and air. Sharing the studio with other two artists: Kanwal Zafar and Lucia Joo. And enjoying good food and good company.
Some of the paintings she realized here at OZU.
Here is Laara “artist statement”.
“I am moved to transform my interior emotions, visions and my gathering of experiences on to the canvas. I work in the moment, sometimes with my fingertips or with a one inch flat end hogs hair brush. Texture, colour, line and highly contrasting tones are important to me in my compositions.
I have created both work that I intended to be uplifting and also some art work that I wanted to be confrontational with the intention of affecting social change.
However, the viewer may gather what they wish to from the painting as I believe when it is finished the painting has a life of its own.”
Laara blog: http://laarawilliamsen.wordpress.com/
OZU activity 
My time during the artist residency at the Ozu Cultural Centre was relaxing and inspiring! It is rare to find within such a residency the professional combination of time for relaxation, organic, authentic cuisine, a warm sense of family belonging as well as creative inspiration daily! I highly recommend Ozu Cultural Centre for beginners through to professional artists as a perfect place to break through to your next creative level1 All the right ingredients are present! Have a look at the website http://www.ozu.it and perhaps I will meet you there next year!