Anne Scarffe, Nederland. Laurence Delaunay Masters moved to Nederland in 2002 from France. She is married to Dallas Masters, and they have 2 teen sons. She has been an artist for years, and a French teacher for both middle school and high school, in Boulder and in Nederland. She decided in August to give up teaching for her love of art, after a long heart to heart conversation with her father who lives in France. She had been doing both teaching and creating art inspired by a French artist, Sanseau from Brittany, and her dad who has been an interior designer of artistic furniture and interiors both helping her develop her “eye” for color.

Laurence creates using brushes or palette knives and acrylic paint on canvas or wood, mostly large canvas paintings with bears, moose or wild and colorful flowers. She paints both from real or imaginative sceneries. Lately, Laurence has focused on the beauty of the Aspens and painted smaller pieces, inspired by the vibrant colors Colorado offers in the fall.

Laurence normally returns to France yearly to be with family and friends, and will paint while there, though the artwork is of different things; she will paint seascapes, crabs, and fish when there. 

Laurence said that she feels so thankful and honored that Salto Coffee Works offered her the opportunity to show her artwork in the beautiful cafe in Nederland. Also, Agnès, owner of Le French Cafe in Boulder has welcomed Laurence’s paintings since they opened about three years ago. These are places where Laurence loves to hang out regularly with friends and family.

After Covid-19 closed the possibility of dine-in at Salto (which will be open again on Friday, October 16th), she suggested doing her art outside during the Farmer’s Market on Sundays this season, for the foot traffic to see her creating her art, and any prospective customer can see completed artwork within the restaurant upon request.

Since she is doing art full time, Laurence is looking for an art studio in Nederland. She would like to have a holiday reception, if deemed safe, at Salto. 

Her email is Laurence.delaunay@gmail.com. Salto Coffeeworks is located at 113 E 2nd St, Nederland, CO 80466 and can be reached at (303) 258-3537.

(Originally published in the October 15, 2020, edition of The Mountain-Ear.)