Sam Lao is a multidisciplinary artist based in Dallas, TX. Despite being dubbed early on in life as a creative
child Lao spent much of her upbringing trying to find a more “acceptable” career path. A UTA graduate with
a BFA in Visual Communications Lao worked with multiple artistic mediums post graduation, most notably
painting and music before turning to fiber art in 2020 in an effort to combat the isolation of the global
pandemic which lead her to tufting. Lao’s practice explores the interaction between color, texture and
pattern as they relate to the constant flow of creating and the actions required to bring thought to fruition.
This process considers the ever shifting nature of an idea from its inception to its ultimate consumption.
Through her craft she examines the abstract nature of what it means to be creative. Having been
reprimanded many times in her youth for getting too close to the artwork during museum visits the tactile
qualities of Lao’s current work subverts the old adage of ‘do not touch the artwork’ by inviting the viewer to
do just that and in turn making a visual experience a physical one as well.
