Bio

Laura Liz Ruprecht is a stained glass mosaic artist based in St. Cloud, Minnesota. She earned her Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in Painting and Studio Art from the College of Saint Benedict in St. Joseph, Minnesota. After beginning her career as a painter, Laura’s artistic path shifted when she assisted with two public mosaic projects in downtown St. Cloud. The process of transforming individual pieces of glass into a larger image sparked a fascination with mosaics and continues to influence her work today.

Working from her home studio, Laura creates hand cut stained glass mosaics inspired by the natural world, particularly Minnesota’s native birds and wildlife. Her work explores themes of connection, resilience, and the relationship between humans and the environment. Her mosaics have been exhibited throughout Minnesota and nationally, including exhibitions at the Minnesota Zoo, Minnesota Landscape Arboretum, Minneapolis St. Paul International Airport, and juried exhibitions across the country.

Since becoming a full time artist in 2020, Laura has continued to expand her studio practice through exhibitions, commissions, public art projects, and teaching. She has created permanent community artworks in partnership with schools, libraries, and organizations throughout Minnesota, including collaborative projects with the City of St. Cloud, Great River Regional Library, Becker Public Library, and Anna Marie’s Alliance.

Laura has spent many years sharing her artistic practice as a teaching artist, leading mosaic workshops and residencies with participants of all ages and backgrounds. Through these experiences, including work with schools, adult learners, and community organizations, she uses art as a way to encourage creativity, connection, and personal expression.

Her work has been supported by grants from the Minnesota State Arts Board and the Central Minnesota Arts Board. Laura continues to develop her mosaic practice through new exhibitions, public art opportunities, and community engagement projects that celebrate the beauty and stories found within the natural world.

Artist Statement

I create mosaics using hand-cut pieces of stained glass, carefully arranging each fragment to build representational images inspired by the natural world. The process is slow, deliberate, and reflective. Each piece contributes to a larger whole, much like our lives are shaped by the experiences that leave their marks on us.

Living with a disability has profoundly influenced my artistic process and the stories I choose to tell. My work explores how we navigate change and find meaning within unexpected circumstances. Mosaic has become the ideal medium for expressing these ideas. Individual pieces of glass are fragile on their own, yet when brought together they form something lasting and complete. This transformation reflects my own journey and the autobiographical stories I share through imagery rooted in nature.

Each mosaic develops through thousands of thoughtful decisions as I respond to the unique qualities of every piece of glass. The material requires me to embrace uncertainty and adapt to what each fragment offers. This process has shaped not only my approach to creating art, but also how I understand my own experiences. Through my work, I hope to reveal the beauty found in the natural world and in the ongoing process of becoming whole.