Always interested in art, Laura grew up in Honolulu, Hawaii. She studied art at Punahou School, Washington University, The American Institute for Foreign Study in Venice and Florence, Italy and Pilchuck Glass School.

Trained as a figurative artist, Laura has grown to doing abstract work. She uses both the computer and traditional art methods which results in her unique art.

She is known for her use of color, shape and form in mixed media. She has won several awards and is in private collections in Hawaii, Los Angeles, California, Chicago, Boston & cities across the mainland and Italy.

She is one of a group of artists included in the Imago Mundi “Aloha Spirit Contemporary Artists from Hawaii” collection. Of her work it has been said, “ Laura has the talent to translate nature and emotion into figurative and abstract elements that carry the same spirit.”

Many of her current themes have been inspired by water and her surf art has been featured in Free Surf Magazine. The amazing 2016 Eddie Aikau Surf Contest inspired her theme of huge waves. Laura is honored and humbled to be part of the 2018 HiSAM Museum Gallery Shop Winter Swell Art Exhibit, located inside The Hawaii State Art Museum. Her artworks showcased in this exhibit focus on the monster waves that hit Hawaii’s North Shores during the winter months and the men and women who dare to ride these mountains of water.

Laura has made several appearances on the hit television show “Hawaii Five-0” as Nalani Lukela, wife of Sgt. Duke Lukela. Duke is played by her real life significant other, actor Dennis Chun. Her favorite is the Valentine’s Day episode called Ho’a Inea.

One of the works Laura is proudest of is “Honouliuli”. A Hawaii Five-0 episode (Ho’onani Makuakane #410) began research into the WWII Honouliuli Japanese Internment Camp and then creating a series of artworks. One was presented to the Japanese Cultural Center of Hawaii in honor of the designation of Honouliuli as a National Historic Monument. This artwork, inspired by the the stories of the internees, seeks to show while people can be interned, their hearts & spirits cannot be stopped from believing & dreaming.

As one who faced the challenge of epilepsy earlier in her life, Laura is now active in educating about this common condition through art. She was featured in a “1 in 26 The Art of Epilepsy” in Chicago video which can be viewed on YouTube. Laura has been exhibited in the Hidden Truths, the Art of Epilepsy Art Show in  California and the 1 in 26 The Art of Epilepsy exhibit in Chicago. This show benefits research efforts for addressing the challenge of epilepsy.  Laura has served on the Hawaii Epilepsy Board and has recently conducted a series of interviews with national medical magazines on art & epilepsy.

Laura believes art and artists have a unique opportunity and responsibility to challenge, inspire and better our world. She is extremely grateful for the opportunity to create and share her art.