Laura McCallum was born in Oregon. She studied art history and studio art at Scripps College and the University of Washington. Following her studies, McCallum was a professor at Pacific Lutheran University in Tacoma Washington. Making the decision to dedicate her work and time entirely to her art practice, she moved to Brooklyn in 1981.
Inspired by the city's rough urban character, she began working with such materials as slate, granite, plaster and other heavy minerals to create works that were at solid and permanent and yet she succeeded in transforming them into delicate works of sculpture. During the mid 1990s, a series of health problems prohibited the artist from being able to create such monumental works and she began to experiment with a variety of new media.
No longer employing heavy materials, McCallum's work evolved to being composed of a variety of media such as muslin, wire, paper, glue and pigment. These items though vastly different from those that made up her earlier series sill allowed the artist to create the idea of delicate permanence so characteristic of her work.
She continues to use these materials to this day, but also works with borosilicate glass and experiments with videography.
McCallum has had both solo and group exhibitions throughout the world and has been selected to participate in a number of artist residencies. In addition to her art practice, she teaches sculpture. She lives and works in New York City. Click hereto download her complete CV.
Nine in Nine (detail), paper and graphite on board, 2006