Laura Pawson

Laura Pawson is a Visiting Associate Professor in the Art and Design Education Department at Pratt Institute's School of Art, holding concurrent adjunct positions at LaGuardia Community College and York College. She simultaneously serves as an Assistant Principal at Middle College High School in Queens, NY, demonstrating a dual career bridging K-12 administration and higher education.

Her educational foundation includes:

• Master of Science in Education, School Administration (2017), College of Saint Rose
• Master of Science in Education (2013), Long Island University
• Bachelor of Fine Arts (2008), School of the Art Institute of Chicago
• Exchange Program (2007), Universidad Complutense, Madrid

Pawson's artistic and pedagogical practice confronts systemic inequities through explorations of racial identity and urban environments. Her multidisciplinary work—spanning ink drawings, acrylic paintings, photography, and public murals—documents social constructs while advocating for transformative change. This commitment manifests in community projects like the Nefertiti mural series and international collaborations in Senegal and Colombia.

Her recent publication TMYWA (2022) synthesizes illustration and activism, reflecting consistent thematic engagement with identity politics and spatial justice across her 20+ year exhibition history.

Key recognitions include:

• Academic Award Scholarship from SAIC (2004)
• Gold Medal at National Scholastics Juried Show (2004)
• Business Arts District mural funding (2018)

As an educator, Pawson has mentored students from elementary to graduate levels, notably as District 14 Master Teacher and Arts Mondays Facilitator. Her grant-funded initiatives include the Sonya Art Walk installations and New Museum Teacher Advisory Board leadership (2019-2022).

She directs community art teams through global mural projects and residencies, including Proyecto Ace in Buenos Aires and Harold Arts in Ohio, emphasizing collaborative creation as social practice.