Born in Idaho Falls, Idaho, Labra moved to the midwest during his youth and then to California in his early twenties and China in his late twenties. Travel has always been a part of his life and he continues to pursue broader frontiers while making his art. He has been a carpenter's assistant, a line cook, a professor of art, and currently teaches at an international school in China. He holds a BFA from The Art Academy of Cincinnati and an MFA from Laguna College of Art and Design. During his artist residency in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan he discovered the joy of bright colors and fantastical imagery. Through his love of mythology and film he draws inspiration for his subject matter. His work is colorful and bright with an air of nostalgia and whimsy. The paint application is inspired by tiles of color the flat planar forms. He is interested in fragmenting colors and retaining volumetric space through placement of color.