A topsy-turvy trawl through the life of Kirkcaldy’s greatest son is bringing an eye-catching dash of colour to a local landmark venue.

A topsy-turvy trawl through the life of Kirkcaldy’s greatest son is bringing an eye-catching dash of colour to a local landmark venue.

The remarkable story of world-renowned philosopher Adam Smith takes centre stage in a delightful mural which has been unveiled at the theatre bearing his name.

Artist Jenny Proudfoot has created a charming potted biography – charting the twists and turns of Smith’s life – to enhance the venue’s Spinning Top café bar.

The café is so called because Smith believed that “a healthy economy is like a spinning top – always balancing out despite its frantic pace”.

“The mural is factual with the dates and timeline,” says OnFife’s Head of Customer Engagement, Suzie Dempsey, “but we wanted to represent Adam Smith’s life in a creative, accessible and quirky way – with a little added humour, as it’s located in a social and busy space.”

The mural has been unveiled to the public ahead of an open day on 12 October, which marks the 125th anniversary of the theatre’s opening by the Fife-born philanthropist Andrew Carnegie.

Included in the mural is the church where Smith was baptised, the thriving harbour that informed his economic theories and the house where he wrote his magnum opus, The Wealth of Nations.

The mural’s teal and blue backdrop is inspired by the sky and the sea that were his constant companions while its recurring spinning top motif gives a sense of movement and journeying through life.

Milestones in a life surrounded by books and learning include studying at Glasgow and Oxford, lecturing in Edinburgh, travelling to France and Switzerland and working as Scotland’s Commissioner of Customs.

Says Edinburgh-based Jenny: “It’s been a real pleasure working on the mural. The Adam Smith Theatre is such a beautiful space – elegant and airy, and the bar is fabulous.

“I’ve tried to portray Smith as an enthusiast, someone fully immersed in whichever subject currently fascinates him.”

Born at 220 High Street and educated at the nearby Burgh School, Adam Smith published The Wealth of Nations on 9 March 1776.

By then a leading figure of the Scottish Enlightenment, which had its epicentre in Edinburgh, Smith wrote much of it at his home in Kirkcaldy.

Considered by many to be the father of modern economics, Smith was hugely influenced by the town and its commercial activity.

He used the process of pin-making at a local factory to explain the effects of the division of labour – a principal theme of the book.

“It’s been a real challenge balancing his considerable achievements with his eccentricities,” says Jenny. “I’d loved to have shown some more of his absent-minded behaviours, but we would have needed an even bigger wall!

“We discussed whether to show him growing from young to old, but I like to think that he popped out as a small, intense adult, bewigged and pondering big questions!

“Although Adam Smith never found, or looked for, a family, I think he led an immensely full life because he crammed his days with the thing he adored – learning.”

Creation of the mural has been made possible with the support of independent financial advisory firm Ascot Lloyd – formerly known as Create and Prosper – whose offices are across the road from the theatre.

The firm’s Director, Chris Hodgson, said it was a wonderful opportunity to celebrate Adam Smith’s Kirkcaldy connections and his profound influence on global economics.

Says Chris: “The Adam Smith Theatre is an iconic venue that enriches our community and we are proud to support it. Jenny Proudfoot has done a phenomenal job of telling Adam Smith’s story in such a captivating manner.”