Arts & Culture
Lehi’s Lori Hatfield Launches Unique Design Business
When you see true talent you have an internal reaction of surprise and joy; this describes seeing the work of Lori Hatfield, Lehi wife and mother, who is launching her new business, “Lori Hatfield Designs” in the next few weeks. This talent was discovered when necessity met imagination.
Lori needed a bench for her entryway and when she couldn’t find one matching her décor and that worked with her budget, she decided to make one. When friends and family saw her work they asked if she could make one for them. She had no experience in woodworking or painting, so Lori found tutorials on YouTube and found she enjoyed learning this new art form.
Wanting to learn more than the internet could teach her, she volunteered to help work with Mr. Burningham, the woodcraft teacher at Lehi High School. For one year she worked as a volunteer in his class and enjoyed working with the students, in addition to learning woodworking techniques. Her wooden furniture combined with her unique style of painting drew praise and admiration from all who observe her unique pieces.
She not only makes her own furniture and accent pieces, but paints them in the style of Trompe-l’oeil, literally “to fool the eye,” which uses realistic imagery to create an illusion. Simple pieces of furniture are turned into Coke machines or old Volkswagen buses. They are useful, but Lori turns them into art! They are truly one of a kind.
Recently, Lori made or refurbished 9 pieces of furniture for the Utah Valley Parade of Homes. The response to her unique and creative work has been overwhelming. She finds the process of her work fulfilling her fertile imagination. She now she not only paints furniture, but has found herself painting one of a kind wall murals.
Being a busy wife of Geoff Hatfield and mother of two daughters, Alena and Vivienne, she fills any free time with painting and designing.
