The Paddle-Pup Triptych

Laura E Kennedy is an emerging contemporary artist who creates realistic representations of varying subjects using coloured pencils on paper or panel. In her drawings, Kennedy manipulates the expectations assigned to her childish and illustrative medium by fusing unconventional compositions with allusions to revered styles of painting and other universally revered high art.

Rather than aspiring for photo-realism, Kennedy is driven by a desire to produce exquisite surfaces and mark making to draw the viewer closer to inspect and savour her drawings. Her more recent works challenge the customary boundaries and conceptual potential of the picture frame and other conventional standards of wall mounted, 2D presentation.

Kennedy grew up on the NSW Central Coast and graduated from Sydney College of the Arts in 2008 with a Bachelor of Visual Arts (Printmedia). Although initially her artmaking was irregular as she focused on other creative endeavours she has maintained a committed and continuous practice since her relocation to Hobart in early 2013. Kennedy's work has been featured in numerous publications and blogs including The Mercury's Tas Weekend Magazine, Inside Out Magazine, SuperSonicArt ,DesignisKinky , BizarreBeyondBelief , ForExample_Art Magazine andFaithisTorment . In 2014 she was also selected as a finalist in both the Rick Amor Drawing Prize and the Bay of Fires Art Prize. This year she is also a finalist in the City of Hobart Art Prize.

In July 2015, Kennedy was diagnosed with a brain tumour in her front left temporal lobe. After a successful surgery to remove the tumour she is currently undergoing a course of Chemotherapy and Radiation Therapy to help prevent reccurence.