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"I love Lake Forest, and especially the peaceful existence here," says LaMarche, who has lived in her home for more than 20 years.  "And through my paintings, I wanted to share what I see about this wonderful place."

A Graphic Designer for most of her life,  over the last 5 years, the artist has created about 230 paintings, including 27 works of Lake Forest.

Her artwork lines the walls of her home, and the rest (the ones she hasn't sold yet) are on exhibition.
 
LaMarche started painting the city about two years ago.  Her landscapes capture the serenity of Lake Forest, ranging from  the City's lakes, parks and neighborhoods
to its wildlife. 
Many of her works exhibit the City's verdant greenery - such as paintings of Serrano Creek and the Woods community.  Others capture the City's history, such as points of interest within the Heritage Hill Historical Park.

LaMarche says through her paintings, she wanted to illustrate the connectedness 
of Lake Forest to nature for both residents and first-time visitors.

"You can get a feeling of what Lake Forest is like without ever coming here," she says.

LaMarche recently unveiled her landscapes of the City at the Lake Forest Community and Business Faire in May.  Many  residents  purchased  her original paintings at the fair.
For now, she has stopped painting Lake Forest though she doesn't make any promises  that she won't paint more of the City in the future.

"I'm definitely not even slightly tired of painting our beautiful City," says LaMarche, who works on from one to five paintings a week.  "But I'm moving onto other things for now." For those interested, her works are on exhibition in several locations.

LaMarche, a member of the  Niguel Art Association - is also working on a series of Dana Point landscapes, presently on exhibition at the restaurant, Skipper's Galley in the Dana Point Harbor.

But she insists her heart will always belong to this community. "There is nothing like painting the Lake Forest I adore," LaMarche says.

© 2002 www.sandralamarche.com