Laura Matthews was born in South Wales in 1964. She studied at the prestigious Slade School of Fine Art, London University as an undergraduate and post-graduate student. During this 6 year period her work matured under the tutelage of the greatest modern British painters, among them William Coldstream and Euan Uglow. A regular visitor at the Slade, Lucien Freud offered criticism and support and Laura has subsequently received numerous accolades, awards and travelling scholarships under this exceptional guidance. Twice the recipient of the International Elizabeth Greenshield Bursary, Laura left the UK in 2002 to immigrate with her family to Australia.
In Australia Laura has continued to receive high acclaim. She has been selected twice as a finalist in the Portia Geech Memorial Award for Portraiture held at the SH Ervin Gallery. She has been a finalist in the prestigious Fleurieu Peninsula Award for landscape - one of 56 finalists from 520 entries, and in the same year she was a finalist in the Paddington Art Prize.
Laura’s work is represented in private collections in Europe, the USA and Australia. She is included in the extensive collections of Royal Caribbean Cruise Liners, many of which were specially commissioned. Her work is also found in the Slade Collection and on the cover of The Oxford Book Of Twentieth Century English Verse chosen by Philip Larkin.