Following diploma course in fine art in London, UK, Lawrence attended a post-graduate course in commercial design.  An initial career in illustration followed, and other diversions such as raising children and running a family business.

In the 70’s she decided to return to her love of painting and spent several years studying with a number of well known British artists at workshops and courses.  Since then she has experienced a successful career as a portrait & figurative artist and teacher of fine art for over 30 years in Europe and North America.

She has received a number of awards & commissions, the most significant of these being:-

• A bronze medal award at the Salon de Paris, 1994
• Selection by Prince Charles for the “Discerning Eye Exhibition” at the Mall Galleries, London, UK : 1997
• Honorary mention at the Contemporary Portrait Society annual exhibition, London 1996
• Resident artist at the English National Ballet, 1994
• Resident artist at the Swan Theatre, High Wycombe, UK 1994 - 1996
• Honorary mention : Society of Canadian Artists 2004
• Nominated Visual Artist for the 2007 Kitchener-Waterloo Arts Awards.
• Featured artist in ArtWorks Exhibition in Kitchener, Ontario 2006 – 2008

Work exhibited at the following Galleries

• Edissi Fine Arts. Kitchener, Ontario
• Arts & Letters Club, Toronto
• ArBites Gallery, Waterloo, Ontario
• Canvas Gallery, Toronto,
• Wyndham Gallery, Cambridge, Ontario
• Turner Gallery, Bayfield,
• Hollander York Gallery, Yorkville, Toronto,
• Gallery Enigma, Toronto,
• Canadian Heritage Gallery
• Double-T Gallery, Waterloo,
• Eldon Gallery, Waterloo
• KOR Gallery & Studios, Kitchener
• Kitchener-Waterloo Art Gallery
• Luxters Gallery, Henley, England
• Mall Galleries in London
• Westminster Gallery, London, England

Professional Memberships & Employment :

• Portrait Society of Canada ;
• the Arts and Letters Club, Toronto
• Institut des Artistes Figuratif, Montreal
• Founder and Executive Coordinator for ArtBites Gallery & Workspace in Waterloo
• Executive Director of KOR Gallery, Kitchener, Ontario.
• Chairman Buckinghamshire Society of Artists, UK :
• Founding member of the Bassetsbury Group, High Wycombe, UK

Significant Commissions

• Official illustrator for the Uptown Waterloo Jazz Festival, Ontario, Canada since 2002,
• Kitchener/waterloo Symphony Orchestra,
• Habitat for Humanity,
• Perimeter Institute,
• Contemporary Dance Studio,
• Southern Ontario Chamber Music Institute
• The Record Newspaper Group,
• Waterloo University
• Kings College Hospital, London
• English National Ballet
• Denham Parish Council

Numerous portraits and other commissions both private and corporate.

Her work is in public and private collections in several countries throughout Europe and North America.

Selected Juried Show Exhibitions

2006 -  Selected for the 10 year celebration for the Rotunda Gallery, City of Kitchener, Canada

2004 -  Selected artist at the Junction Arts Festival, Toronto, Canada

2004 - Juried Annual Open Exhibition - Society of Canadian Artists : Honorable Mention.

2003 - Juried first biennial at KITCHENER-WATERLOO ART GALLERY

2003 - Juried Colour and Form society, Toronto

1999-2002 - joint exhibitions at the ARTS & LETTERS CLUB, Toronto

Solo Exhibitions

2008 - Solo exhibition at Homer Watson Gallery, Kitchener, Canada

2004 - Solo exhibition at Clarica/Sunlife Insurance, Waterloo, Canada

2004 - Solo exhibition at The Arts & Letters Club, Toronto, Canada

2004 - Solo exhibition at

2002 - Solo Exhibition Art Bar - Centre in the Square, Kitchener, Canada

2002 - solo Exhibition Clarica head-office, Waterloo, Canada

2001 - Solo Exhibition KOR GALLERY & STUDIOS, Kitchener, Canada

2001 - Solo Exhibition ROTUNDA GALLERY, City Hall, Kitchener, Ontario. Canada

1999 - solo exhibition at Double T Gallery, Waterloo, Canada

1995/6 /8 & 2003 : Salon de Refusé, Llewellyn Alexander Gallery, and London.UK

1996 : solo shows at Luxters Art Gallery Henley, UK : ENB

1994 : solo show at Wycome Chair Museum, High Wycome, UK

1994 & 1995: 2 solo show at Wycombe Swan Theatre, High Wycombe, UK

1992 :  Featured artist in The Face Fits, Milton Keynes, UK

1994-1997 : Salon de Paris, France

Exhibited with the following juried shows in UK 1983-2000

Royal Society of Painters in Oils,

Pastel Society,

Society of United Artists,

Royal Society of British Painters

Society of Women Artists,

Association of British Artists.

Llewellyn Alexander Gallery,.

Bassetsbury Group

Buckinghamshire Art Society

With a teaching certificate from the Buckinghamshire  Education Board (UK) Podi has taught in higher education schools, and was guest artist at the Ascot Public School ‘s Art Department in the UK.  And continued to teach in Canada at Loyalist College, KW Art Gallery, Homer Watson Gallery and privately in her studio. She hosted and teaches groups of aspiring artists in France, Canada and Panama.

Publications & Revues

• Feature in the Record Newspaper 2008(www.therecord.com/arts/articlke/340181)
• Featured artist in the Grand Magazine, Waterloo, Ontario – Jan/Feb 2008
• 2005 - 2008 Featured artist on Television programmes at Rogers TV and Canadian TV
• October 1994 : Artwork pictured on front cover of Limited Edition Magazine, UK
• November 1995: Feature article writer for the Artists & Illustrators  Magazine/Staedtler pens.
• 1995 : Sketches and paintings featured in  the English National Ballet  catalogue for their production of Coppelia

Teaching CD’s  LEARNING CURVES