Born in Illinois, artist Laraine Kaizer (pronounced like the word "laser") rediscovered art very recently, in the summer of 2004. Up to this point she was a violinist striving to secure a university teaching job. Before her collegiate musical studies, art was an important hobby in her life producing many drawings and a few cartoon-like paintings. During her years of musical study she remained a compulsive drawer but never painted again or took her art seriously. While finishing her Doctoral thesis in violin at the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory, Laraine treated herself to an "introduction to oils" class. After graduation, she moved to Norfolk, Virginia, put away the violin and began to paint seriously. In the fall of 2005 she came to Phoenix where she is enjoying music once again as a substitute violinist with the Phoenix Symphony.
She just finished her first solo show at MonOrchid gallery in Phoenix AZ January 6-27th 2006 where over half of her paintings have sold.