In Baton Rouge, Christmas tree styles are as unique as gumbo recipes, and it’s a sure bet no two are exactly alike. For some folks, it’s a chance to coordinate themes and color palettes. For others, it’s about hanging history and the joy of returning to meaningful pieces collected over the years.
The custom ornaments made by Louisiana artist Laura Welch Taylor straddle both worlds. Hand-painted to resemble kids, pets and life moments, the made-in-Baton Rouge works feature a consistent whimsical aesthetic that makes them a stylish collectible.
Taylor, a painter and ceramicist, is a big fan of the timelessness of ceramic ornaments.
“If you read about the Titanic, all the ceramics are still perfect at the bottom of the ocean,” she says. “Of course, you can break them, but they are such a permanent thing. And to me, that’s really cool.”
A veteran artist, Taylor, 33, opened LWT Studios, her retail store and workshop space, on Highland Road in November 2023. The shop stocks Taylor’s original paintings and ceramics, as well as home decor and gifts printed with original designs.
This time of year, it brims with handmade Christmas decorations she makes in her studio, a converted barn behind her Prairieville home. A kiln she nicknamed Goldie turns out the shop’s wildly popular ceramic ornaments.
Laura Welch Taylor opened LWT Studios on Highland Road in November 2023.
“She’s the hardest working one on the team,” Taylor jokes.
Clients upload photos of children and pets to Taylor’s website to be featured on their ornaments, but they shouldn’t expect an exact portrayal. As an abstract impressionist, Taylor prefers keeping the images faceless, still creating remarkable likenesses through details like face shape, attire and hair color. Each specialty ornament is painted completely by hand.
“They’re very heirloom-y,” Taylor says.
She makes other ornaments, too, including acrylic sets of the 12 Days of Christmas and six characters from The Nutcracker.
Other ornaments feature Mary holding baby Jesus, Jesus as a shepherd, Santa, angels and other classic Christmas imagery.
“I like to keep it unique and do things that people can’t find on Amazon or somewhere else around town,” she says.
Taylor introduces new pieces every year, but they remain grounded in her style, awash in pastels and a vibe she calls “a soft place to land.” She has a particular fondness for the blues and whites found on Chinese ginger jars. That visual throughline makes her ornaments recognizable on a tree, she says.
Of course, ceramic ornaments can’t always escape casualty. But Taylor generally uses a flat, round shape she says reduces the breakage that often befalls Christmas balls.
“They’ll last forever,” she says. “No pressure.” laurawtaylor.com
Deck the halls
Shop Taylor’s collections at LWT Studios, 17650 Highland Road, Suite K. Custom ceramic ornaments cost $115, and acrylic ornaments start at $25.
Confirm hours before visiting.
This article was originally published in the December 2024 issue of 225 Magazine.
