Laurel Gravem Alvarez

Laurel Alvarez was born, raised, and educated in the San Francisco Bay area, California. During her young adult life, Laurel was able to travel extensively throughout Mexico, Central and South Americas and Europe, always enjoying the local cultures and art. Additionally, she has traveled extensively throughout the United States.

After moving to Reno, Nevada, she and her husband, Andres, moved to the Pacific Northwest where they continued to raise their children in North Bend, Oregon.
Since retiring in 2005, Laurel rediscovered her love of art, something she had not pursued since college. She studied under several local Pacific Northwest artists. Although Laurel has ventured into various media including graphite, collage, acrylic, oil and missed media, she has consistently returned to watercolor. Laurel participated in many juried shows as well as being the featured artist in various venues.

In 2014, Laurel and Andres moved to Laguna Vista, Texas on the shores of the Laguna Madre, Gulf of Mexico. There she joined the Laguna Marde Art Gallery where she was a senior exhibitor for over eight years. Laurel was also a frequent exhibitor for the Brownsville Fine Arts Museum, The Harlingen Art Forum (a co-op gallery) and was a member of the Laguna Madre Art League. Again, Laurel was featured in many juried art shows as well as was the featured artist in various South Texas art venues. She served on the South Padre Island Art Advisory Board and helped extend art awareness to the entire lower Rio Grande Valley.
Now back in Oregon, Laurel has joined the Cottage Grove Art Collective, the Maude Kerns Gallery and is a resident artist at the New Zone Gallery in Eugene, Oregon. She shows locally and has been a featured artist in the Cottage Grove Artwalk. Laurel and Andres are excited to be back in Oregon and close to their children and grandchildren.

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