Lauren Moore often colors her world with hues of purple, pink, blue and yellow.
The Callahan artist and home stylist recently painted several renderings for New York Times Best Selling Author R.L. Stine. When he visited Callahan Intermediate School in February, her paintings of several “Goosebumbs” book covers lined the stage to welcome the well-known writer.
It was a major project for Moore, 27, and she was thrilled when Stine autographed her artwork.
“I always like to help any way I can,” she said. “I like to see how well I can paint.”
Moore shares her world with boyfriend Mark O’Quinn, an acoustic guitarist, singer and songwriter. The couple has been together for two years. His mom, Carol, is a librarian at CIS. The two women often work on art and craft projects together.
“My mom will give her all kinds of projects and it’s a challenge – but it will push her,” O’Quinn said, adding that Carol once needed a hat representing various characters from “The Wizard of Oz,” which Moore created just for her.
The two women have established a collaborative relationship.
“It’s cool because my mom’s creative,” O’Quinn said. “I met Lauren, my mom met Lauren and she really likes her – and it’s always good when your mom likes your girlfriend. I gained an amazing girlfriend and she gained this amazing partner. They basically think of something and come up with all kinds of creative ideas.”
Moore’s love of color began in kindergarten when she was given a dinosaur coloring sheet. The prehistoric creatures were depicted blowing bubbles.
“My favorite colors are the rainbow because I like how they fade into each other,” Moore said.
She blended the same color spectrum into the dinosaurs, similar to the commercial art made popular by Lisa Frank.
Frank markets children’s and adult coloring books, unicorn-themed notebooks, pens, activity books and numerous products in rainbow hues.
Even in home décor, Moore’s distinct vision allows her to see treasure while some might see trash.
“I’ll see something and I’ll see the shape of it and where some people might want to throw it in the garbage I see its potential with a crazy color change or with some glitter or something,” she said.
Moore has completed a couple of painted furniture projects for CIS as well.
O’Quinn enjoys the colorful palette and retro furniture she has repurposed in their home.
“I’m a musician, so my mind’s completely open to things,” he said. “Who wouldn’t want to walk into a home and see color? It’s not so bad coming home and seeing things that make you happy. It’s what you make of it and what you enjoy. It’s one of the first things that I noticed about her and appreciated about her. It makes me happy.”
The couple loves to travel, especially to Disney theme parks. They have already visited Disney World in Orlando and Disneyland Park in Anaheim, Calif.
Plans include visiting the theme parks in Shanghai, Paris and Tokyo.
O’Quinn has already visited Disneyland in Paris and would like to again visit.
For now the pair is focused on their respective projects as they express themselves individually and artistically. O’Quinn begins a regular weekly engagement Tuesday evening, performing at Slider’s Seaside Grill in Fernandina Beach.
“It’s crazy to be able to do something you love and make a living off it,” the 36-year-old said. “I love all kinds of music. But there’s nothing like going back to raw, classic music where you read the lyrics.”
He looks to Moore as his muse when penning songs.
“I like older songs,” O’Quinn said. “She gives me ideas. She definitely inspires me. We work off each other.”
He’d also like to take his music to new audiences.
“What haven’t I done yet? How can I make this my own? We’ll go to all these different places – my girlfriend has a 9 year old – why haven’t I done a children’s record? It would make people happy,” he said. “Why not work on a kids’ record that wouldn’t annoy adults?”
Moore has found that O’Quinn inspires her and relates to her creative processes.
“Before I met him, I had all these thoughts and ideas in my brain – and now since I met Mark, he understands my ideas,” she said.
As they forge their lives and artistic futures, the couple has discovered a formula that appears to work.
“Together we encourage each other on all of our projects,” O’Quinn said. “And there’s no limit. Whatever the idea is – or the project – there is no impossibility between us. We try to make our dreams a reality. Why not?”
He added, “In this area where others might say that’s crazy, we say, it’s a challenge – and it’s exciting.”