Lauren Mercer-Smail is an artist living on land commonly known as Canada. At the age of nine years old, she won first prize (one free VHS rental) in a colouring contest at West Coast Video (defunct). When she did not win on her second submission, she had the revelation that the winner was determined by draw. Undeterred, she continued in art, graduating from Canterbury High School in the visual arts program and Concordia University in Communication Studies.

She began oil painting in 2016, and has stuck to that medium ever since, showing her work at The New Art Festival, the Glebe Craft and Artisan Fair, 613flea, and has had works hung at The Art House Café, Rothwell Gallery, and the Annexe at the Ottawa Art Gallery.