Lael Har
FULL-TIME ARTIST & INSTRUCTOR
Lael Har is a contemporary landscape painter, art mentor, and founder of Lael Gallery & Studios in Boulder, Colorado. She is drawn to the places that stay with us long after we've left. Mountain trail, the desert light at dusk, the movement of water, and the emotions landscapes awaken in us. Through expressive acrylics and mixed media, she paints not what a place looks like, but what it feels like.
Her artistic journey began in childhood, where her talent quickly emerged. During high school, she was commissioned to paint interior and theatrical murals. After earning a Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA), she worked in graphic design before returning to her first love - painting full time.
Her transition into the fine art world was deeply influenced by her mentor, Dvora Kanegis, and years of dedicated study in acrylic painting and the business of art. In 2009, Lael took ownership of what is now Lael Gallery & Studios in North Boulder, transforming it into a welcoming creative community where artists gather to learn, grow, and create together.
Since 2005, Lael has exhibited her work in open studios, galleries, museums, art festivals, and private collections. Her paintings are collected throughout the United States, and her work has been featured by Fox News, CBS Colorado, ABC, The Washington Post, The Daily Camera, Voyage Denver, and Colorado Homes & Lifestyles.
Teaching is as much a part of Lael's creative life as painting. She has guided hundreds of artists in discovering their own creative voice through workshops, retreats, and mentoring. Her approach encourages curiosity over perfection, helping students paint with confidence, intuition, and joy.
Working primarily in acrylics with large brushes, palette knives, and expressive mark-making, Lael has created over 1,000 original paintings. Her largest public work, an 8 × 24-foot memorial mural, is permanently displayed at the Table Mesa King Soopers in Boulder.
"I paint to capture the fleeting interplay of light on a landscape, focusing on the essence of a place rather than its literal representation. My work is an exploration of how acrylics and mixed media can convey mood, light, and movement, capturing the true spirit of my subjects. Often painting alla prima, I use large brushes, palette knives, spatulas, and various mediums to infuse my work with spontaneity, energy, and vibrant color. Through contemporary abstracts, I create space for the viewer's subjective interpretation, inviting them to engage deeply with the piece."
- Lael
“Meet the artist behind the Table Mesa King Soopers mural” on fox31 Denver
The fabric of our Boulder community grows stronger in healing from this tragedy together. We have the tendency to shut our hearts when we experience trauma. What is needed is to reach for one another, to Love our neighbor, and to gift each other from who we are. Healing takes time to integrate the grief, loss, and fear as a loving community. That’s why this project is so important to me. I communicate through my art - this is the way I can transform my grief into healing and gift my community the love I poured into my work. I was inspired by the beauty of the land and the views from South Boulder. I included the healing power of nature, the warm and vibrant colors in the fall during sunrise and the movement of light across the open vistas. The painting is hanging at the front of the King Soopers store to welcome returning customers. This painting is an invitation to the possibility of a New Day full of healing and a brighter future of hope.
Recent Work
