How painting became a way to process life, trust their instincts, and stay present | Laurie Kwo, Pooja Murgai Taneja, and Shelby K. Cook
What happens when you stop trying to control every outcome and start creating? That’s the thread running through the stories of Laurie Kwo, Pooja Murgai Taneja, and Shelby K. Cook—three women who’ve found meaning, healing, and joy by simply following the pull to make art.
In talking with them, we heard about childhood curiosity, unexpected turning points, and the quiet moments that shaped their paths. They opened up about what it really takes to stay connected to creativity, not just when everything feels good, but especially when it doesn’t. Through colour, memory, trusting the instincts, nature, and emotion, each of them has built a practice that feels real and grounded. This article brings together their stories to show how art can grow out of grief, routine, intuition, and even a single walk through the woods. It’s not about perfect outcomes—it’s about staying present with whatever shows up.
A Childhood Curiosity Turned Into a Lifelong Calling
Laurie Kwo remembers always being drawn to color. Growing up in Hawaii and later moving through creative fields like fashion and interior design, she never lost the sense that making things with her hands could lead somewhere meaningful. But it wasn’t until six years ago—after attending a vision board workshop—that the pieces finally clicked.
“I wanted to pursue my art,” she says. “So, I came home, rented a studio, and I’ve been painting full time ever since.”
What drives Laurie’s practice now isn’t just a subject or a fixed idea—it’s a moment, a feeling, sometimes just a single color that triggers a memory. She calls herself an intuitive painter, which means she starts without knowing what the end will be. This space of uncertainty is where her creativity thrives.
Through layers of paint and process, Laurie continues to explore themes tied to femininity and vulnerability. She’s found beauty in letting go of control and letting the work unfold on its own terms. Her pieces have landed in galleries and private collections, but more than that, they’ve allowed her to build a life that feels true.
My art is sourced from within, I reference my life experiences and sharing my art is how I connect with others.
To learn more about Laurie, click on the links below.
When Loss Becomes the Beginning of Something New
For Pooja Murgai Taneja, art started as a quiet interest—one she explored through childhood competitions and collecting crafts during her travels across India. But it was grief that brought her back to it in a way she never expected.
In 2019, after the sudden loss of her younger brother, Pooja found herself searching for meaning. Therapy and meditation helped, but it was a vision during one of her sessions that changed everything. She saw herself painting a bold woman’s portrait, and in that moment, she understood what she was meant to do.
“Art connected me with my brother,” she shares. “We used to sit together—me sketching, him reading. I went back to that memory, and it gave me something to hold on to.”
Today, she lives in Houston and creates mixed media pieces that fuse abstract movement with detailed, realistic touches. Her work often centres around themes like love, strength, and beauty, not in the glossy, superficial way, but in a way that invites the viewer to slow down and feel something real. For Pooja, creating is a spiritual process. It’s how she heals, and it’s how she hopes others can too.
Throughout my creative process, there is a sense of passion and spiritual connection.
To learn more about Pooja, visit the links below.
Painting to Hold On to the Moments That Pass Too Fast
While Laurie and Pooja work mostly from memory and emotion, Shelby K. Cook begins her process in nature. Raised in the lush surroundings of the Pacific Northwest, Shelby developed a relationship with the landscape that goes beyond admiration. For her, it’s a place of memory—a backdrop to the feelings and moments she wants to keep close.
“I’m always trying to hold on to a specific moment in time,” she says. “Whether it’s the light on a trail, a quiet feeling during a hike, or just a small thing that felt meaningful.”
Shelby holds a BFA in Fine Art and a degree in Art History, but her work doesn’t feel overly polished or academic. It’s grounded. Emotional. Honest. Often, she’ll start with plein air sketches—quick studies outdoors—to help her stay connected to her surroundings. From there, she builds larger pieces in her Seattle studio, letting her emotions and memories shape the outcome.
Her paintings aren’t about perfect replicas of a scene—they’re about what the moment felt like. She uses soaring birds, tangled forests, and shifting skies as metaphors for the emotions we carry and the transitions we go through. There’s a tenderness in her work, and a quiet understanding that not everything needs to be explained.
I draw most of my inspiration from nature and my own experiences and memories.
To learn more about Shelby, click on the links below.
What ties Laurie, Pooja, and Shelby together isn’t just that they’re women painters, or even that they’ve all chosen a creative life. It’s that they’ve each learned to trust themselves—to follow instincts, respond to grief, tune into memories, and keep going when things feel unclear.
Laurie found joy in the unknown. Pooja turned heartbreak into healing. Shelby paints to stay connected to the world and her place in it.
Their stories aren’t neat, and their art doesn’t try to be. That’s what makes it real.
They remind us that creativity isn’t always about having a clear vision or a tidy studio. Sometimes, it’s about making space for what wants to come through—even if you don’t understand it yet.
And maybe that’s the point. To keep showing up. To keep creating. To let the process take you somewhere you didn’t expect.
Stay tuned to the Women in Arts Network for more stories amplifying diverse, powerful contemporary art voices. Visit our website and follow us on Instagram.
