Laura is an artist, midwife, award-winning author and birth activist. She combines her artistic and healthcare practice, to bring a fresh interdisciplinary perspective to support reproductive justice, and evolve feminist readings of the body.
Laura has had an extensive career in the arts, both as a solo artist and later as a curator and creative producer, founding the performance art company home live art. She has exhibited her work widely including at Tate, and is part of the Arts Council England Collection.
As a birth activist, she regularly takes part in campaigns on issues such as maternal mental health, gender-inclusion in perinatal services, breastfeeding and Arts & health. Maternal Journal which Laura founded in 2017, is a global movement to support mental health and wellbeing for mothers and those that birth through creative journaling, which won the Basil Lee Award for Innovation in Communication 2019, from The Royal Society of Medicine. The Maternal Journal Book co-authored Samantha McGowan was published in autumn 2021 by Pinter & Martin. The Maternal Journal Podcast, hosted by Laura extends the conversations about birth, creativity and motherhood with well known writers and poets.
Laura regularly presents at conferences, publishes articles, book chapters blogs and authors her own books. Her drawings and paintings often accompany her writing. She is a winner of the JKP Writing Prize, 2022 ‘Stories of Resistance’ with her essay ‘Fish and Apple Strudel’ exploring the significance of food, both in keeping culture alive and as an act of survival, within Jewish families.
Other roles include:
Laura has had an extensive career in the arts, both as a solo artist and later as a curator and creative producer, founding the performance art company home live art. She has exhibited her work widely including at Tate, and is part of the Arts Council England Collection.
As a birth activist, she regularly takes part in campaigns on issues such as maternal mental health, gender-inclusion in perinatal services, breastfeeding and Arts & health. Maternal Journal which Laura founded in 2017, is a global movement to support mental health and wellbeing for mothers and those that birth through creative journaling, which won the Basil Lee Award for Innovation in Communication 2019, from The Royal Society of Medicine. The Maternal Journal Book co-authored Samantha McGowan was published in autumn 2021 by Pinter & Martin. The Maternal Journal Podcast, hosted by Laura extends the conversations about birth, creativity and motherhood with well known writers and poets.
Laura regularly presents at conferences, publishes articles, book chapters blogs and authors her own books. Her drawings and paintings often accompany her writing. She is a winner of the JKP Writing Prize, 2022 ‘Stories of Resistance’ with her essay ‘Fish and Apple Strudel’ exploring the significance of food, both in keeping culture alive and as an act of survival, within Jewish families.
Other roles include:
- Ambassador Procreate Projects & Dance Mama
- Editorial Advisor The Practising Midwife Magazine
- Board Advisor International Forum for Wellbeing in Pregnancy
- Thought Leadership Group #FutureMidwife Nursing & Midwifery Council
- (former) Co-Chair of the Health Committee Women’s Equality Party.
Image: Mastectomy, 2020, charcoal drawing