Exhibition
Labor of Love: Creating Art and CommunityNotes
Laws was a staple in the Brunswick community after completing her undergraduate work at the Stuart School and the Pratt Institute and people who knew of her ability often tried to seek out her expertise for portraits. Despite the popularity of her work, Laws was particular about the commissions she took on, especially portraits. Her particularity was exemplified by her hesitance to take on a commissioned portrait for Margaret Chase Smith, insisting they meet several times before accepting the job. In this photo, she is captured painting a portrait of an officer as he is sitting in uniform. Laws is sitting across from him, surrounded by her paints and brushes. As she holds the painting upright, the camera catches a glimpse of her work in progress.