Shannon Laul
Artist Bio
Shannon Laul, owner-artist of Otter Designworks, is a self-taught, commission-based artist with decades of studio practice. Working with salvaged metal, reclaimed wood, glass, and cast acrylics, she is often tasked by clients to transform cherished mementos or create entirely new pieces for heirlooms that are functional, sculptural, or both.
Based in rural western New Jersey, she has recently expanded from commissions to fully self-directed work. In late 2025, her salvaged-metal installation “Pipe Dreams” (created with her husband) became the first permanent sculpture at High Bridge Grounds For Art, an outdoor exhibition space that otherwise only holds works in rotation.
At the 2026 spring Art Around High Bridge event, her kinetic work “It Starts With Just One” received the award for best use of theme: ‘Beginning Again’. Additionally, it was purchased by a local business for continued public display.
While most pieces are in private homes, recent large-scale works are on view at Lone Eagle Brewing, Signature Safety, The Pulled Fork, and The Outreach Connection.
The dedicated time spent in her studio honing her technical craft allows for pairing precisely machined elements with unexpected, salvaged materials. The resulting mixed-media works—historic in feel, vivid in color, and touched with whimsy—invite viewers to find hope in turmoil, reflect on our shared humanity, and remember the limitless imagination of our childhoods.