Welcome

Laura Anderson is a British wood carver and sculptor based in North-East London.

A graduate of the City & Guilds of London Art School with a diploma in historic wood carving and gilding, Laura has extensive experience in traditional and contemporary wood carving.

Laura has completed a number of prestigious woodcarving commissions, including for The Fishmongers' Company in London, RHS Wisley (involving the Duchess of Cambridge and Blue Peter), the National Trust, artist Yinka Shonibare CBE RA, and artists Jane and Louise Wilson.

Laura combines her expertise in woodcarving with a background in sculpture having studied for a BA in Fine Art Sculpture at the National Art School in Sydney, Australia.

More About Laura

Artist Statement

I create sculpture in response to how my imagination interweaves with time spent in the natural environment. I am fascinated by the physical movement in branches and rivers - growing in curved, turning forms, propping up or resting over and under. Roots visible underfoot within the earth or hanging exposed after a tree has fallen with the root system ‘excavated’. Wind dispersal of thistle pappus parachute seeds or giant oaks that bring to mind the shape and growth of a galaxy. Inspired by the Rights of Nature movement and Robert Macfarlane’s book Is A River Alive?, I reflect on the belief that rivers are not simply resources for human use, but living, conscious beings deserving legal personhood and protection. I am drawn to the animism of trees, rivers, comets, and the tension between anthropomorphic projection and non-human agency. I use drawing, woodcarving, found objects and photography to create immersive sculptural encounters.