Laura Adkins

Laura Adkins is a ceramic sculptor based in Solihull, working from the Midlands Arts Centre (MAC), as part of its Artists Pass Scheme. Her practice spans 3D and relief sculpture, and mosaic assemblage using slab-built and sculpted tile techniques. Born in Birmingham in the 1960s, Laura earned a BA (Hons) in Visual Communication from Brighton. She later shifted focus from graphic design to drawing, painting, and writing. Her children’s books were published by Scholastic, and she completed an MA in Illustration (Commendation) at Birmingham City University in 2008.

In 2009, Laura was drawn to using a more tactile medium, and studied ceramics at Bournville School of Art. She quickly found a passion for clay, which was further enriched by uncovering a deep ancestral connection to workers in The Potteries. Laura joined the RBSA as a Friend in 2010, exhibiting regularly in Open Exhibitions and curating three solo shows of her work at Solihull Arts Complex. Inspired by the 1960s brutalist sculpture seen in Birmingham and Coventry, Laura shifted towards abstraction in her work. After a pause in exhibiting to fulfil illustration commissions, she returned post-lockdown with a renewed focus on ceramic sculpture. Her work was Highly Commended at the RBSA in 2023, selected for Coventry Opens 2023 and 2025, and won the 2024 Leamington Open with her sculpture The Hug.

Laura’s practice explores themes of form and symbolism, her ancestry and heritage, British folklore, and contemporary paganism. Museums, nature, and historical research fuel her creativity. She balances structured planning with improvisation, allowing her work to evolve organically. Favouring crank clay and oxide finishes, she achieves a rustic, timeworn aesthetic that reflects her deep connection with history and clay.