Currently studying painting in her 3rd year at Edinburgh College of Art, a large portion of Laura Kiddie’s practice has been dedicated to studying form and composition in the framework of still life studies, working from a mixture of the observed and the imagined. Merging both of these approaches in her paintings, Kiddie finds momentum in the tension between premeditated complexity and improvised instinctual mark-making, particularly when working with the luminosity and vibrancy of colour. Her very physical handling of paint, application and texture, creating highly structured painting surfaces, creates a strong dialogue between her painting and the subject materials which form her compositions.

Outside of her still life studies, particularly prevalent in her larger scale work, Kiddie is drawn to narrative and visual storytelling, often layering art historical references into her scenes, and objects and symbols emblematic of her past.

These subtle elements of personal storytelling draw on Kiddie’s experiences as part of the LGBTQ+ community and experiencing war at an early age. Which she state has “made me more of an outside observer of life than an actual participant of it”.

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Kiddie's technical development, showcased mostly through small-scale studies, have seen her expand her practice into a larger scale, the first of these works being Homecoming. The larger sees Kiddie layer more narrative into her painting, interweaving art history and personal storytelling through the surfaces, objects and more complex compositions found within her Still Life & Interiors.