BIO
Laurie Tuchel (b. USA) is a contemporary figurative expressionist painter whose work explores cultural storytelling, emotion, and the rhythms of the natural world.
She holds a BA (Hons) in Cultural Anthropology and Sociology from Sweet Briar College in Virginia (1980), and later pursued formal training in painting and drawing at the Leith School of Art in Edinburgh, Scotland. Her education includes full-time programs in both painting and drawing (2018), as well as private, long-distance instruction tailored between her studios in The Bahamas and Scotland (2015– 2017).
Tuchel’s background in anthropology is central to her practice, grounding her work in an exploration of human connection, memory, and community.
Through expressive brushwork and bold, Fauvist-inspired color, she merges personal narratives with cultural themes— frequently reflecting on Bahamian life, migration, and the emotional resonance of place.
She is inspired by artists such as Joan Mitchell, drawing on abstract expressionism and pattern-based mark making to create emotionally charged scenes that invite viewers to step inside.
Tuchel is also committed to community engagement. She co-founded and co-chaired The Grand Bahama Heritage Foundation (2004–2012), a nonprofit dedicated to preserving the island’s cultural history through creative programming.
Notable projects include Question of Faith: The Journey of Freetown (2008–2009), an art and research project exploring the legacy of the island’s first freed slave settlement, and Beneath the Hat (2012–2015), a photographic and interview series reflecting on Bahamian womanhood through the symbolic lens of hats.
Tuchel continues to develop a body of work that balances observation, abstraction, and gratitude—always seeking, as she puts it, “to suggest meaning, not to dictate it,” and to transform the personal into the universal.
IN THE STUDIO
Tuchel’s studio sits on the water in Grand Bahama, surrounded by a lush garden of poincianas, hibiscus, and mango trees. Inspiration strikes in the early morning, when the first light reflects off the water and the crisp air hints at the warmth to come. It is in the sounds of birds, the scent of jasmine, and the vibrant colors of the landscape, her creative energy comes to life.
I am a painter whose practice comes from a place of positivity, embracing imperfection, and looking to storytelling as a way to connect to and represent community.
Laurie Tuchel
"We see here echoes of the work of the French painter Georges Rouault and his deep engagement with the human condition. We also find a resonance with the German artist Emil Nolde who conveys profound depth of human emotion by strengthening colour and simplifying form.”
Philip Archer, OBE
Past Principal, Leith School of Art, Edinburgh
PROCESS
Tuchel’s creative process often begins with a personal spark—some element of a story that resonates deeply. What may initially seem unfamiliar soon reveals itself as part of a shared human condition, and it is this connection that fuels her expressive approach to painting.
Tuchel describes the application of paint—putting it on and wiping it off—as a symbolic act of erasure and reinvention. By distorting the image, she opens up more imaginative ways of seeing, aiming not to dictate meaning but to suggest it, leaving space for the viewer to interpret the painting for themselves.
