Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Ann Miller Smith. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Alright, Ann Miller thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. We’d love to hear about when you first realized that you wanted to pursue a creative path professionally.

As I approached my last year as a high school student and I was faced with the decision of where to go to college and what I wanted to do with my life, I was torn between my two loves – art and fashion. I ultimately decided to go to North Carolina State University where I received my BS in Fashion and Textile Management and I worked as an apparel designer for several years following graduation. My love for art never ceased throughout these years and without even realizing it, I found myself beginning my career as an artist working out of my freshman dorm. Friends commissioned paintings from me, then friends of friends, and eventually I was painting for strangers who found me on Instagram or through small shows that I participated in. Once I began working full time as a designer, I had much less time and freedom to paint and I slowly realized that my heart belonged to my art. While I loved designing, I knew that it was time for me to make a change and I enrolled at University of North Carolina Wilmington to pursue my future as an artist.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

I am a fine artist with a focus in painting, based in Wilmington, North Carolina. I studied Studio Art at the University of North Carolina Wilmington (BA, 2021) and Fashion and Textile Management at North Carolina State University (BS, 2015). Through a colorful lens and a love of pattern and texture, I make art to communicate my inner world, lived experiences, memories, thoughts, and emotions. I often experiment with different techniques, materials, and subject matters to create something that no one else can create in the exact same way. My work is guided by intuition. By using expressive and free-flowing brush strokes, my process allows me to reconnect with myself and share a story through my artwork that I hope others may feel a connection to as well. If there is one thing that distinguishes my work, it is bold and unexpected color palettes, always representing my adoration of color and my hope to bring a sense of joy to the viewer.

Looking back, are there any resources you wish you knew about earlier in your creative journey?

I am a huge advocate for continuing education. No matter where I am in my career, I will always love consuming new courses, books, and any information I can get my hands on to learn something new. I think the greatest resource is community and it is so important to connect with fellow creatives to learn together and grow in your craft. I wish I had found groups earlier in my journey that were dedicated to connecting creatives and providing resources to artists. I am lucky enough to now be a member of spaces like this and they are so helpful to my journey as an artist. My personal favorite group that I am a part of is called The Art Queens, hosted by artist Ekaterina Popova, offering weekly presentations on various subjects and constant support from fellow artists.

Learning and unlearning are both critical parts of growth – can you share a story of a time when you had to unlearn a lesson?

Early in my career, when art was still my “side hustle,” I think I created more for others than for myself. It can be extremely easy as an artist to fall into the trap of creating work that is sellable or in demand. It took a while for me to realize that creating work that means something to me, as the artist, is far more important than creating something I think someone else might like. Art is so much more than just a product and I had to unlearn that to really find my voice as an artist. Painting intuitively and passionately allows me to create strong work with deeper meaning and that is truly priceless to the right audience.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.artbyannmiller.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/artbyannmiller/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/artbyannmiller
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ann-miller-smith-b62065a8/

Image Credits
Jenna Corley