Background
Fernandez was born in Madrid, Spain. Her father was an engineer, writer and a painter.
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Laura Fernandez
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In grade 7 she studied piano at The Royal Conservatory of Music. She graduated from the Alberta College of Art and Design with Honours (1983).
Career
In 2003, Fernandez was named Best Soft Rock musician at the New York International Independent Music Festival. She is currently the host of Café Latino on JazzFM91 (formerly CJRT), Toronto, and her Latin-music was produced by Billy Bryans. She moved from Madrid to Switzerland.
She moved to Calgary, Alberta, Canada with her family.
Her native language is Spanish language and learned English upon moving to Canada, as well as some French and Portuguese. She met artist Rick Jacobson while in college.
The married and moved to Toronto, Ontario. They started their own business: Jacobson Fernandez Illustration and Design.
She became a professional illustrator in 1980.
She has done work for East.D. Smith, Loblaws, Microsoft, Coca-Cola, Foster"s Lager, and Publix. She painted the Maple leaf logo for Air Canada. Fernandez also created the painted trillium used on the Ontario Driver"s License.
She has done illustrations for children"s book like Jeremiah Learns to Read, Picasso Soul On Fire, Anne of Green Gables, and The Magnificent Piano Recital.
She has also produced work for Margaret Atwood, Robertson Davies, Richard Francis Burton, Bill Gates, Senior, David Thomson, and Christopher Ondaatje. She started song writing when she was 12, writing in Spanish.
She released her first album, The Other Side, in 2003. She hosted an open mic night from 2003 to 2008.
In 2008, she started as radio host for Cafe Latino on JazzFM91.
She released a Latin music album in 2010 called Un Solo Beso, which was produced by Billy Bryans. She continues to perform live. Fernandez is sponsored by Steinway & Sons.
She is one of 19 Canadian musicians sponsored by Steinway.
Fernandez has been selling real estate since 2007.
Achievements
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Fernandez has won awards with Rick Jacobson, including the Toronto Art Director"s Awards, Communication Arts Magazine"s Award of Excellence, the Ruth Schwartz Award, and the Amelia Frances Howard-Gibbon Illustrator"s Award gold medal for illustration from the Canadian Library Association for the Magnificent Piano Recital in 2001. Fernandez won the Best Soft Rock Award at the International Independent Music Festival in 2003. She received the Diamond Award for Excellence in Real Estate.
