Laura Wallace
“At the centre of my work is a quality of capturing the soul and atmosphere of the subject - an attempt to evoke a 'feeling' rather than a representation. This is the essence of all my paintings, whether it is a fragile vase of flowers or a wild, unruly sea.”
Laura Wallace grew up in Yorkshire and has painted all her life. She studied Drama and Theatre Design at Exeter University before pursuing a Diploma in Interior Design, which led to three years working for the Harrods Interior Design Team. There, she managed a wide range of international projects and became one of their chief visualisers. She then attended Heatherleys School of Fine Art, enrolling in a variety of courses from life drawing to watercolour, and finally settling on oil painting, which became her preferred medium.
Laura is hugely influenced by the Scottish Colourists and regards Cadell, Hunter, and Peploe as her favourite artists, along with Anne Redpath's still lifes. She is also inspired by the Impressionists, she loves Cezanne's use of complementary colour and the fragility of Manet's final flower paintings.
Her main themes are seascapes, flowers, and landscapes. She spends every summer in Orkney, where the kaleidoscopic landscape and ever-changing skies make for magical and challenging conditions to paint. In Yorkshire, she is inspired by the beauty of the Dales through the seasons, from bluebell woods to snow scenes. Laura's flower paintings are at the centre of her work, and she enjoys capturing Old Roses in a vintage jug, experimenting with coloured glass, silver, and porcelain, and a multitude of blooms from tulips to hellebores.
Laura has held several solo exhibitions in London, including The Lennox Gallery, McKenna and Co, and 53 Beauchamp Place. She has also exhibited in a variety of group shows, including Art for Youth, Cameron Fine Art, and the Affordable Art Fair with Panter and Hall.