We were lucky to catch up with Grace Lane-Smith recently and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Grace, thanks for joining us today. What’s been the most meaningful project you’ve worked on?

This past summer I had the opportunity to create a photo mural for my town. What I did was create a 4′ x 6′ diptych on canvas, then had it photographed, edited, and printed on three aluminum panels for a total of 8’x12′ and secured behind Town Hall in Antigonish, Nova Scotia.

Nova Scotia is a coastal province with a rich history and diverse stories in Atlantic Canada – a beautiful and peaceful place to visit or call home.

In developing the concept behind the art, it was really important to me to make the piece feel inclusive of everyone who calls Antigonish home.

The painting is a mixed media seascape called ‘Wild Skies Upon the Waves’ and includes hand embroidery. Living in the north means it’s cold most of the year, so I hope the reflective and earthy mood comes through in this.

The diptych itself responded to a the town’s art theme for this year – Rurality. The artwork explores the following subtopics:

– Rural Placemaking & Celebration of Diverse Regional Histories

– Vision of the Future of Antigonish

– Traditional Craft, Contemporary Art

– Regional Geography & Ecology

– Formal Material Explorations

If you’re interesting in finding out more about the thought process behind this mural, click here: https://www.gracelanesmithart.com/antigonish-town-mural-2022

This project couldn’t have been possible without the support of the Town of Antigonish and the many supports from our local arts organizations, Antigonish Culture Alive and Antigonight.

Grace, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

I am an oil/mixed media artist crafting whimsical portals to the ocean from the shores of Nova Scotia. I work both representationally and representational with an abstract slant, inviting viewers in to explore the mood of a painting, creating art that feels classic but modern, with a magical old world vibe.

My art is inspired by the vastness of the ocean and how it makes me feel swept up in something bigger than myself. My work translates the calming, soul-satisfying feelings I get on canvas so others can experience it at home. I enjoy standing at the edge where tide and beach meet, tasting sea salt spray. This gets me out of my head to live in the moment and feel refreshed.

My earliest memories are of wandering up and down the aisles of a gallery on weekends, stopping in front of each painting and experiencing a feeling of ‘falling’ into the world each piece presented. This is what she aims to do with my work. The art aims to art recreate that magical sense of inspiring and lifting viewers out of their busy (usually glued-to-the-screen digital) lives, to experience the peace of seeing seafoam rush up a beach, even if it is through a painting hanging in a city home.

The art aims to, and has been described to look like a dream world, one that lifts both mind and spirit.

Are there any books, videos or other content that you feel have meaningfully impacted your thinking?

Joining mentorship groups was how I found some wonderful friends. It is so easy to operate in a vacuum as an artist and as an introvert. But developing a handful of trustworthy friends in the same field who have your back is crucial – way more impactful than any book, video, or course I’ve taken. It’s worth investing time and energy into a few people you really connect with because they will understand the nuances of the highs and the lows related to what you’re going through.

The other thing is, online relationships can be very ‘light’ – as in it’s easy to connect with a lot of people, but it’s also easy to disconnect. So pick a handful you really connect with and make the effort to develop those relationships. These friends are gold.

Is there something you think non-creatives will struggle to understand about your journey as a creative?

There is no ‘check out time’ – it’s all or nothing. When I work in my other job, I clock in and clock out. Sure I think about it, but it isn’t all encompassing. With the art, there’s always problem solving happening, while running errands, while going to bed. It’s hard to check out when you’re responsible for the creative process as well as all the administration aspects.

Creative and administrative tasks are both important and require huge amounts of energy and organization. I don’t do this perfectly by any means and always have to be on guard against burn out, because this directly affects my creativity. So it’s really important to take care of your mental health too.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.gracelanesmithart.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/gracelanesmithart
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/gracelanesmithart

Image Credits
Photograph of mural by Addy Strickland Photograph of long seascape with plants in front – by Adrienne Kayla photography, plants styled by Katie Taylor