About the Artist
She grew up in Atlantic Highlands and Rumson, NJ. Her initial art instruction was from her mother, Agnes Ricks Egan, a charter member of the Guild of Creative Art. Laury received a BFA in graphic design/photography from Carnegie Mellon University and later studied with Sam Abell, a National Geographic photographer. In 1985, she set up a color darkroom and began a freelance photography/book design business after working for Princeton University Press. During the next years, her photographs appeared on numerous book jackets and covers, magazines, and as book illustrations, including her solo outing in The Wines and Wineries of the Hudson River Valley and as participating photographer in Princeton Reflections. She expanded her business into live theatre and opera photography, working for the Opera Company of Philadelphia, most Lincoln Center venues, McCarter Theatre, Two River Theater Company, and for Plácido Domingo’s organization at the Met and Kennedy Center on behalf of disabled children. In 1992, Laury photographed the world premiere of Philip Glass’ The Voyage at the Met and sold to Mr. Glass for his archives.
After mastering darkroom technique, Laury began exhibiting fine arts photographs throughout the tri-state area at Alkit Digital in New York City; the Williams Gallery, Stuart Country Day School, Tucker Anthony in Princeton, NJ; Art Forms in Red Bank, NJ, and Woodstock, NY; the Chamot Gallery in Jersey City; the Sea Holly Gallery in Brielle, NJ; the Book Gallery in New Hope, PA; the Frederick Gallery in Allenhurst, NJ; McKay Studio, Red Bank; and at the Guild of Creative Art, where, in 1982, she beame one of the first photographic exhibiting members. Her images are in the permanent collection of the Montclair Art Museum, Graphic Arts Library of Princeton University, Southern Methodist University, and the Monmouth County Historical Association.
Laury has created portfolios on Greece and Venice, countries she has visited at length, as well as on historic American buildings and houses, photographed to emphasize geometry, shapes, and atmospheric lighting. Recently, she has been creating land and seascapes of Sandy Hook and the Monmouth County area.
As an instructor, Laury has taught composition courses and offered portfolio reviews at Brookdale Community College, the photography group of the Princeton Garden Club, and the Guild of Creative Art as well as teaching several location workshops such as a two-week course in Venice, Italy. She currently holds ongoing private classes for photographers at her home. She has worked as a lecturer on photography and a judge for competitions.
In 2009, a large land/seascape was chosen as “Best in Show” at the Guild’s EyeSights Show and Laury received an HM in the October Open Juried Show and HM in b+w at the 2010 EyeSights Show. She has been included in Who’s Who of American Women and Who’s Who in American Art and served as Vice President and President on the Board of Directors of the Guild of Creative Art.
Exhibitions (group shows unless indicated; curated*)
– * 2010: 23 Photographers, Guild of Creative Art, Shrewsbury
– * 2009: Land and Sea, McKay Studio, Red Bank
– *2009, 2010: A Photographic Portrait of Sandy Hook, Lighthouse Keeper’s Gallery
– *2008: Focal Point, Guild of Creative Art, Shrewsbury
– 2008: The Vanishing Beauty of Land and Sea, Frederick Gallery, Allenhurst
– 2007: First Look, Frederick Gallery, Allenhurst
– 2006: Venice Revisited, Solo Show, Frederick Gallery, Allenhurst
– 2006: Anniversary Show, Frederick Gallery, Allenhurst
– 2006: A 10-Year Retrospective with New Work, Solo Show, Frederick Gallery, Allenhurst
– *2005: A Portrait of Thompson Park, Thompson Park Gallery, Holmdel
– *2005: Photographic Show, Middletown Library, Middletown
– 2005: Studies of Princeton, Williams Gallery, Princeton
– 2002: Annual Summer Salon Show, Chamot Gallery, Jersey City
– *2002: Perfect Exposure, Sea Holly Gallery, Brielle
– *2002: A Portrait of Historic Walnford, Walnford
– 2000: Alkit Digital Gallery Show, New York City
– 1999: Greece, Solo Show, State of the Art Gallery, Atlantic Highlands
– 1998: Bermuda and British Columbia, Solo mini-show, Guild of Creative Art
Cecelia