Maggie Laws is an interdisciplinary artist, designer, and writer whose work explores the relationship between visual expression and philosophical thought. Working across traditional and digital media, she creates large-scale artworks, commissioned pieces, and experimental projects that examine themes of identity, morality, and human decision-making.
Her creative practice is grounded in both technical skill and intellectual curiosity, drawing from interests in philosophy, literature, and behavioral ethics. In addition to her visual work, Maggie is developing a Tom Sawyer board game focused on moral choice and consequence, and writes essays exploring the connections between art, ethics, and lived experience.
Maggie has completed commissioned work for published authors, law firms, and creative organizations, and has received recognition in multiple art competitions, including first-place awards in both visual and multimedia categories. She is currently a dual-enrolled student at Daytona State College and serves as Vice President of Service for Muroe Chapter of Phi Theta Kappa, where she is developing initiatives that connect art, community engagement, and ethical inquiry.
Skills & Media
Fine Art & Making
Acrylic, watercolor, oil, gouache, alcohol and acrylic inks · Graphite, colored pencil, ink · Pastels and sidewalk chalk (large-scale) · Sculpture (clay, recycled, organic) · Fused glass and chopped murrine · Needle felting, embroidery, sewing, crochet, weaving · Jewelry making · Pottery and tile painting · Diorama and model painting · Collage · Calligraphy
Digital & Design
Procreate (illustration and animation) · Blender (3D animation) · Adobe Photoshop · Canva · WordPress · Character design · Promotional video production · Branding and identity systems
Technology
WordPress · Spiffy · Keap · Photoshop · Canva · Basic web development
Languages & Music
Conversational Japanese · French (in progress) · Guitar, ukulele, xylophone
Volunteer & Community Engagement
Feed My Starving Children
Sugar Mill Gardens Hurricane Aftermath Cleanup
Mount Carmel Community Center — Art Assistant
Smithsonian Transcription Volunteer
ArtHaus — Community arts programming and support
Oak Hill Elementary School — Art program assistant
Neighborhood Event Flyers — Pro bono design for local community events
Projects in Development
Art + Ethics Series 2025–Present
Visual exploration of moral dilemmas through portraiture and mixed media
– Creating a cohesive body of work connecting philosophical inquiry to visual art
– Each piece accompanied by written reflection on ethics, decision-making, and human behavior
The Dialectic — Substack Publication 2025–Present
maggielaws.substack.com · “Exploration, rebellion, progression”
– Written platform for essays on philosophy, art, ethics, and the examined life
Education
Daytona State College — Dual Enrollment 2024–Present
Courses: Ethics, U.S. Government, Geography, and ongoing humanities coursework
Florida Virtual School (FLVS) 2022–Present
AP Environmental Science · AP Seminar · French II · and additional coursework
Leadership
Vice President of Service — Phi Theta Kappa, Muroe Chapter, Daytona State College 2024–Present
– Coordinated service initiatives for one of the nation’s leading honor societies for college students
– Elected to VP role as a dual-enrolled high school student — demonstrating exceptional academic standing and peer trust
Co-Founder & Co-Designer — The Adventures of Tom Sawyer Board Game 2024–Present
Legend & Lantern Games, LLC · Nationwide launch anticipated Summer 2026
– Responsible for 100% of game design, artwork, illustration, and visual identity
– Co-led marketing strategy, logo design, website buildout, and conference representation
– Project timed to coincide with the 150th anniversary of the novel; eligible for national distribution
Honors & Awards
1st Place — The Hub on Canal Chalk Festival (Ages 14–17) 2024
$2,500 award · Large-scale chalk art competition
Silver Scholarship — SCAD Summer Seminars 2024
Competitive merit scholarship for visual arts summer program
1st Place — PPL Energy Saving Video Competition 2020
$2,000 award · Multimedia / promotional category
Art Haus Annual Chalk Festival 2023
Award recipient · Community arts festival
Kyrene School District Art Award 2016
District-wide visual arts recognition