Laura Havenhand

Laura Havenhand was born in 1986 in Blackpool, she attended Preston College where she received an ‘outstanding achievement award in fine art’ before going to Blackpool and the Fylde college and then to Leeds Metropolitan University where she completed a BA (Hons) in Fine Art in 2009. Since this Havenhand has been commissioned by restaurants and business’s around the Leeds area, and had her first solo exhibition at The Bowery Gallery, Leeds, in Jan 2010. She has shown in a number of group shows, and continues to make work. She recently became a member of Blott studios, Blackpool, upon returning to the area and has been working at Blott Artists Studios as curator since Novemeber 2010.


My practice exemplifies minorities who I believe to be systematically mistreated, through society’s systematic subjugation of particular groups. My work re-represents them and highlights the problems in society and the lives of the less fortunate. The portraits are made from a series of overlaid stencils. I use semiotics to provide the clues of the narrative and suggestive of the desired interpretation. I have worked along side the charity PAFRAS in Leeds and the fair-trade chocolate distributors Tradecraft. In 2005 I worked with Tradecraft to produce a sculpture made from chocolate and a series of paintings to widen awareness of third world poverty in one of Tradecrafts poverty awareness campaigns.