Peter Meets, Laura Whitmore
Peter Meets, Laura Whitmore.
We first saw the Irish beauty that is, Laura Whitmore, back in the day, when she first graced our TV screens for MTV Europe after winning a campaign that the TV station launched in 2008, ‘Pick me MTV’. Laura decided to leave MTV in 2015 to venture further afield. In 2009 we began to see Laura’s creative flare when she teamed up with the clothing brand ‘A wear’ to create a self-branded clothing line. In 2011 Whitmore was picked up by I.T.V. where she gained further popularity on our T.V screens presenting, ‘I’m a Celebrity…Get Me Out of Here!’ and numerous other TV shows in the UK and Ireland at the time. In 2015 Laura put her creative vision to further use and collaborated with the lovely jewellery brand, ‘Daisy London’ which was inspired by her love of music and the recurring pear shape of the plectrum. In the same year she made her catwalk debut in London’s Fashion Week for Bora Aksu, taking our breaths away as she proved her catwalk status. After leaving ITV’S ‘I’m a Celebrity…Get Me out Of Here!’ last year, Laura danced her way across our screens with a host of other celebrities in ‘Strictly Come Dancing’. Laura then went on to show the world her acting skills in 2017, where she won rave reviews in the play adaptation of Peter James’s, ‘Not Dead Enough’ along side Bill Ward.
When you first meet Laura, you are taken away by her beauty, it is an ethereal kind. In 2015 FHM voted her as 37th sexiest woman, they were wrong she’s at least the top 3. She has a presence about her, when she walks into a room you soon know she is there weather it be by her contagious laugh, her outgoing personality or just her being. When I first met Laura I immediately had my first girl crush, ever! And as a gay man that can be confusing. I was out with my brother and mutual friends of ours, (Whitmore being one of them), as the night wore on I got to know Laura the person and not the celebrity, my girl crush got worse. I just kept thinking 'I want to paint you', not like the French girls, but your face. At the time I was painting my adaptation of 'Le Pieta', the Drag version, and was consumed by sketching the landscape of peoples faces. I haven't painted Laura yet, but I will paint her one day! Laura is one hell of a gal, and as a pal she is one incredibly supportive and encouraging friend.
1 Do you have a favourite artist and what’s your favourite piece by them?
My favourite piece I own is Freedom by Peter Homan which I keep in my bedroom. I'm also a fan of Pure Evil and Dan Baldwin. I like finding new things in a painting every time I look at it.
2 What was the last exhibition you went to?
I can't remember the very last one, but one that sticks in my mind, was photographer Chris Klein at Somerset House in London. I even bought one of his prints of Blondie which is framed in my house. I travel a lot and always find time to pop into whatever galleries the city I'm in has to offer.
3 What’s your favourite book?
Matilda by Roald Dahl, I remember first reading it as a small child, and it's full of such wonder and imagination, not to mention some inspiring as well as truly terrifying characters.
4 Who’s your icon?
My mother.
5 I know you are an accomplished T.V. presenter, model, and lately actress, but do you like to dabble in a bit of painting every now and then?
I loved art as a child. I used to handmake a lot of gifts. Mainly beaded jewellery. I also drew a lot of wildlife from those Don Conroy books (remember him on The Den back in the day!) but never anything professional!
6 What influences you on a daily basis?
My friends. My surroundings.
7 What’s your favourite sound?
The sea. I grew up by the sea and so I've always found water calming.
8 What has been the single most important event in your career so far?
Probably moving to London by myself 10 years ago. I didn't really realise at the time what a leap it was for a young girl but so glad I did it.
9 What do you hope your contribution will bring to your community?
My mother always told me if you have a platform or are given a voice louder than someone else
you have a responsibility to use it to help and encourage others.
10 What is the hope for your audience when they encounter your work?
To be entertained and I guess give them the encouragement to work for their own dreams.
11 Who has been the most influential person to you and your work?
A few people. Obviously, my family, because if it wasn't for their support it would have made the journey more difficult. In T.V land, I love the work ethic of people like Davina McCall and Anna Friel.
12 If you could have dinner or a drink with someone, alive or dead who would it be?
At the moment I've been away so much, I'd happily just have a dinner at home with my family.
13 1Do you think an artist needs to be tortured to create?
No, but I think they have to understand emotion both bad and good.
14What was the first piece of art you bought?
'Double Exposure', by Pure Evil. It was at a silent auction at a Prince gig in Camden. It was a very special night.
15 Where’s your favourite space to get creative in?
I can kinda’ do it anywhere! It's more a mood thing than a physical thing.
16 What’s next for you?
I've been doing a lot of theatre this year but next year I'll be working on a new Tv project.
With thanks, Laura. xx
#laurawhitmore #PureEvil #theirishtimes photo credit
#Freedom #Homanart #peterhoman #firepainting