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Laura E. Amussen

Biography

Laura Amussen, 31, worked a variety of jobs from nursing aide to office manager before deciding that a career in the arts was the right choice for her. She resumed her college education at the age of 26 and earned a bachelor's degree in art with a concentration in sculpture from Towson University in Towson, MD. She compiled a 3.82 GPA, graduated with honors, and won an art scholarship. Her work has been shown in many juried shows in the Baltimore-Washington area. Ms. Amussen intends to seek a master of fine arts degree from the Maryland Institute College of Art in Baltimore.

 Discouraged by family and friends from attending college and urged to study cosmetology instead, Ms. Amussen took a career path that followed many twists and turns. At the age of 18, she became a certified nursing assistant, later specializing in physical therapy. After a year as a waitress, she was hired to install bathtub liners and then sold ceramic tile before becoming an office worker and account manager. Along the way, she received an associate of arts degree in general studies from Catonsville, MD Community College. "Fortunately, art eventually made its way into my life," she recalls. "Making art has provided me with the perfect means of incorporating all that motivates me.I thrive in my role as an artist."

Laura took her first art classes at Towson University. Still struggling with feelings of inadequacy, she was nevertheless determined to get the most out of education. She applied for the honors program, during which she persuaded a private gallery to display her work and successfully defended her honors thesis. Ms. Amussen achieved a 3.82 GPA, graduating cum laude, and received several scholarships and departmental honors. She was elected president of the university's Sculpture Coalition, allowing her to organize exhibits, workshops, and critiques. In addition, she served as a mentor for other students on skills that artists need to get their work shown.

She writes, "I am a determined, dedicated, and highly self-motivated, mixed media sculptor who has reached the point of recognizing my need for the interaction and growth of Maryland Institute College of Arts' esteemed graduate program. Becoming an arts educator is the perfect way for me to continue doing what I love."

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