In 1973, after an epiphany at the Royal Artillery Memorial at Hyde Corner in London, Laing abandoned abstract art and began modeling the figure in clay for casting into bronze. The works from this period are formaI and they are typified by the 'GALINA SERIES', which culminates in a near-portrait ('GALINA 10'). During this period his then wife Galina was model for virtually all of his sculpture.

In order to cast these works into bronze he established his own foundry at Kinkell Castle with the help of the legendary late George Mancini.

He lived at Amagansett, Long Island 1975-6, was Visiting Professor of Painting and Sculpture at the University of New Mexico in Albuquerque 1974-5.

He was twice an Artist in Residence at the Tamarind Lithography Institute, taught sculpture at Columbia University, New York 1986-7, and served for eight years on the Royal Fine Art Commission for Scotland.