Bio
Laura Shape is a multimedia artist whose pioneering work transforms invasive animal species into tools for ecological restoration.
Her hand-crafted paintings and sculptural works are not just symbolic—they generate direct, measurable impact. Shape is the first known artist to use leather from invasive species as a fine art medium, removing ecological threats and turning them into catalysts for environmental renewal.
She works with materials from invasive lionfish, carp, and Burmese pythons—species that severely disrupt native ecosystems. These leathers are obtained through trusted partnerships with conservation-focused suppliers and field experts across the U.S. and Caribbean.
Her work has earned a Juror’s Award at a Smithsonian-affiliated exhibition, selected by a Fellow of the Smithsonian Environmental Research Center, and has been featured in exhibitions endorsed by UNESCO’s UN Ocean Decade. Her pieces are held in private collections across the U.S., including those of established art collectors.
She lives and works in Denver, Colorado.
Exhibitions
2025 - Under the Sea, group exhibition, Moku Art Studio
2023 - Wild Muse: Animals in Art, Annmarie Sculpture Garden & Arts Center, In Association with the Smithsonian Institution, Solomons, MD
2023 - Breaking Ground: Art about the Earth, Annmarie Sculpture Garden & Arts Center, In Association with the Smithsonian Institution, Solomons, MD, (Juror: Anna Davis, Fellow at the Smithsonian Environmental Research Center)
2022 - Nature, an international juried exhibition, online at LightSpaceTime Gallery, (Jurors: Chris and Valerie Hoffman, gallery owners)
2022 - Primary Colors, an international juried exhibition, online at LightSpaceTime Gallery, (Jurors: Chris and Valerie Hoffman, gallery owners)
Awards
2023 - Juror’s Award winner. (Juror: Anna Davis, Fellow at the Smithsonian Environmental Research Center), "Breaking Ground: Art about the Earth"
2022 - Special Recognition for the 3 Dimensional Category (Jurors: Chris and Valerie Hoffman, gallery owners), "Nature"
2022 - Fifth Place Award for the 3 Dimensional Category (Jurors: Chris and Valerie Hoffman, gallery owners), "Primary Colors"