I’ve never been particularly comfortable talking about myself online — I’m probably showing my Gen X roots there — but art has always been about connection and storytelling for me, so I thought it was finally time to share a little of my own story.

I grew up in the Pacific Northwest near Seattle, surrounded by forests, mountains, water, and a family that loved hiking, camping, fishing, and exploring. That connection to nature became deeply rooted in both my personality and my artwork. Ocean themes, forests, wildlife, textures, weathered wood, and quiet moments outdoors still naturally find their way into much of what I create today.

I studied Fine Arts at Washington State University, where I fell in love with experimenting across different mediums and creative disciplines. Some of my favorite classes were unexpectedly outside traditional art — geology, environmental science, Native American mythology, scuba diving, contemporary dance, and even a survival class where I was dropped into the wilderness overnight with only a fire starter and a lighter. (Ask me about the survival guide’s Sasquatch story sometime—it’s a good one!)

After college, my path took an unexpected turn into the film industry. I eventually moved to Los Angeles and attended Joe Blasco Makeup School West, studying beauty and special effects makeup. Through a combination of hard work, persistence, and being in the right place at the right time, I found myself working as a makeup assistant and contact lens technician under Academy Award-winning makeup artist Ve Neill on Pirates of the Caribbean 2 & 3.

For those unfamiliar with film work, many fantasy and special effects productions use custom contact lenses to completely transform an actor’s appearance. Some change eye color, while others are full scleral lenses that cover the entire visible eye. My job involved inserting and monitoring those lenses safely while actors worked in elaborate makeup and demanding filming conditions.

Working in film taught me far more than makeup techniques. It taught me storytelling, collaboration, problem-solving under pressure, and how much artistry exists behind the scenes. I was fortunate to work alongside incredibly talented artists who constantly pushed creative boundaries, and I learned something valuable from every single one of them.

Filming Pirates of the Caribbean 2 & 3 also gave me the opportunity to spend time in the Caribbean, where I fell even more in love with the ocean. Between filming, I spent as much time scuba diving as possible and even explored cavern diving for a while. That sense of wonder and exploration continues to influence my work today. You’ll probably notice that many of my pieces naturally lean toward ocean themes, forests, landscapes, and the textures and colors found in nature.

After spending about eight years in Los Angeles, I eventually moved back to Washington and later worked for six years on NBC’s Grimm — a modern fairy-tale-inspired television series filmed in the Pacific Northwest. During that time, I got married, started a family, and slowly began shifting my priorities toward spending more time at home.

I later returned to school and earned my Master’s Degree in Secondary Education with endorsements in General Science and Fine Arts. Throughout all of those career changes, though, one thing remained constant: I never stopped creating. Whether it was painting, sculpting, makeup artistry, woodworking, design, or learning entirely new mediums, I’ve always been happiest when I’m making something.

Eventually, my husband Keith and I decided to take a leap and start our own creative business together. With only a vague understanding of what we were getting ourselves into, we purchased a couple of laser engravers and began teaching ourselves an overwhelming number of software programs, design processes, and woodworking techniques.

That journey eventually became The Beaming Toolbox.

What started with DIY craft kits and layered home décor has continued evolving into something much closer to our long-term artistic vision: combining layered woodwork, sculptural dimension, laser engraving, painting, texture, and storytelling into pieces that feel both handcrafted and immersive.

One of the things I love most about working with layered wood is that it allows me to combine precision with painterly expression. Thin washes of paint let the natural wood grain continue to show through and create depth, while thicker, more impressionistic brush strokes add texture, movement, and color. Years spent in makeup artistry definitely taught me the art of blending, but sometimes I love allowing bold color and visible brushwork to exist exactly as they are.

I’m endlessly curious by nature and still love learning new things. Art and science have always felt deeply connected to me — both involve observation, experimentation, problem solving, and a sense of wonder about the world around us. Outside the studio, I still love the outdoors, books, geology, ocean life, plants, mushrooms, gemstones, trees, flowers, and yes… probably an unreasonable amount of cheese and chocolate.

While I love creating my own artwork, one thing the film industry taught me is how rewarding creative collaboration can be. If you have an idea you’d like to bring to life — whether it’s a custom piece, a meaningful gift, or something completely unique — I’d love to hear about it.

Thank you for taking the time to learn a little about me, my artwork, and the journey that brought me here.

Curious about my film history? You can find some of my credits under my maiden name, Laura Hill (V), on IMDb or visit my makeup portfolio at lauraloucks.com