make it pop!

LAUREN LEIGH HENSON

ARTIST STATEMENT

I’m a mixed-media artist based in Tulsa, Oklahoma, creating bold, graphic work exploring femininity, identity, and place. Influenced by pop art, street art, and Western imagery. I use regional culture as a jumping-off to create work that lives in everyday spaces and invites connection. What appears simple at first glance is designed to hold deeper meaning through layered narrative and symbolism.

Because I sometimes struggle to articulate through words, I use art to translate my observations, especially around icons and their impact on history and culture. I’m interested in how songs, films, poems, and quotes speak to the shared experience of being human.

My process is intentionally multifaceted, combining hand painting with screen printing, collage, and mixed media compositions. Each background becomes a study of either a vivid color aura or a patchwork-like collage built from texture, pattern, and reference ultimately creating work that is both graphic and emotional.

A collage of colorful patterned paper with a black and white drawing of an elderly woman with glasses. The collage includes a blue strip with white text saying 'Thank you for being a friend,' a yellow banner with 'Sicily 1922,' and a grid pattern with '#BFF' in the top right corner.

Pop art portrait of a man with a pompadour hairstyle, surrounded by colorful patterns and text elements, including a blue and white Union Jack flag in the background.

A stylized drawing of a person wearing a top hat and a patterned shirt, with purple text overlay reading 'SO YOU'RE TELLING ME THERE'S A CHANCE' on a pink background.

Stylized black and white portrait of a woman wearing glasses and a detailed necklace, set against a colorful background with abstract text and paint strokes.

EXHIBITIONS

2026 — Champagne & Chocolate (Group Exhibition), Living Arts of Tulsa

2025 — Champagne & Chocolate (Group Exhibition), Living Arts of Tulsa - Featured Art

2024 — DIVA (Solo Exhibition), Living Arts of Tulsa

2023 — Champagne & Chocolate (Group Exhibition), Living Arts of Tulsa - Featured Art

2022 — The 27 Club (Solo Exhibition), Align Design, Tulsa, OK

2021 — Oh Tulsa! (Group Exhibition), Living Arts of Tulsa

Special Projects

2022: BOK, Machine Gun Kelly Installation

2022: BOK, Jimmie Allen Custom Bowling Bag

2022: BOK, Michael Buble Custom Vinyl Cover

2023: BOK, Turnpike Troubadours Customized Axes

2023: BOK, Paramour Customized Polaroid Cameras

2024: BOK, Customized skateboards for Pink

2025: Invited to create the city map of Tulsa for the Tulsa Scout Guide

PRESS

2023, May: Rolling Stone, “Turnpike Troubadours Talk Anticipated New Comeback Album and Real Reason Behind the Breakup” by Josh Crutchmore

2023, January: Tulsa World, “Artist's career takes off after school auction” by Stephen Pingry

2022, May: Tulsa People, “Capturing Characters" by Blaklee Freed, Pg. 32

upcoming events

upcoming events

Street art portrait of a person smiling with their tongue out and middle fingers raised, with colorful abstract background.

Kendall Whitter Pop-Up December 17, 2022 12PM-5PM

Location:TBD

December 2022