Having studied at the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts and the Lyme Academy of Fine Arts, among other organizations and with various artists, LaPine has developed an elaborate visual vocabulary to best balance the illusion of space and dimension while curating dynamic shapes and designs that serve the picture plane. Highly influenced by the tactile work of Dutch artist Willem Kalf and the compositional design of Renaissance artist Giotto di Bondone, LaPine’s work reflects a deep engagement with both form and narrative.

For LaPine, all works begin with purely abstract compositional elements — shape, color, value, form, surface treatment, and degrees of contrast. While objects within the painting may hold some significance, their meaning or relationship to one another remains intentionally vague at first. As the painting develops, a title emerges, presenting an open-ended narrative or memory that imbues the work with personality and invites engagement. The painting Green Acres is the place for me but I rolled Snake Eyes invites the viewer on a contemplative journey of pursuing dreams and navigating the unpredictable currents of fate. Throughout the landscape of the painting, different chapters of a larger story unfold, each attempting to resolve the desire for fulfillment. Like Dorothy in The Wizard of Oz, the viewer is encouraged to walk down the yellow brick road at their own pace, stopping to explore different moments within the painting. But be warned — uncertainty lies ahead, and every journey is shaped by its own unique roll of the dice.