Location: United States
ARTIST BIO
Never in her first sixty-five years did Katty Smith ever dream of becoming an artist! Growing up in the small community of Halifax, Virginia, there were no opportunities for exposure to art. However, that strong desire to work with her hands later translated into basket weaving, sewing and creative floral arranging. An undergraduate degree in business followed by an MBA at age fifty-nine, a Master Gardening certificate and a Master Naturalist certificate formulated a love of learning throughout life. At age sixty-five she enrolled in a college class for ceramic sculpture. The bells and whistles were heard and she found her passion in life. She studied sculpting in clay for five years before becoming a studio artist in New Smyrna Beach, Florida.
In February of 2020 Katty took an acrylic abstract painting class and she heard those same bells and whistles. Within a few months she took a leap of faith and began her journey to learn everything possible about this medium, while giving up her sculpting career. Katty has found abstract/mixed media painting to be very challenging which adds to the appeal.
Katty’s work has been exhibited in numerous juried exhibits in Florida, South Carolina and Ohio where she has won many awards. She has been published in Spotlight Contemporary Art Magazine and was published in Art Folio 2020, a new contemporary art book.
You can find Katty’s artwork at the Hub on Canal in New Smyrna Beach. She is a member of Florida Artists Group, Beaux Arts of Central Florida, Daytona Art League and Artists Workshop, Inc.
Website: www/Sculpturekat.com
Instagram and Facebook: kattysmithart
Warrior of the Heart symbolizes a woman's inherit trait of fighting for what she feels strongly about with her heart. The sculpture is solid built with clay and finished with underglazes, washes and Mason Stains.
Artist Statement:
My ceramic sculpture, “The Human Plight”, is my commentary on the issue of overpopulation in the state of Florida, which is home to numerous species of wildlife that are being crowded out of their natural habitat. The Florida panther is a perfect example of an endangered species resulting from developing land with housing and roadways. The back of this sculpture depicts a housing development with a roadway labeled "Panther Crossing". There are currently less than one hundred and thirty Florida panthers and the main cause of their deaths is vehicular trauma.
As an intuitive painter, adding large shapes with bold colors often leads me to an image that tells a story. Such is the case for On Wings of Hope. This image captures the essence of our concern for the future of the next generation.
“Tu Es Belle”
“Cuervo Mujer”
“Born to Dream”
“Surrogate Mother”
“Warrior of the Heart”
“The Human Plight”
