We recently connected with Libby Smith and have shared our conversation below.

Libby, appreciate you joining us today. Can you open up about a risk you’ve taken – what it was like taking that risk, why you took the risk and how it turned out?

In 5th grade, I was told by many specialists that I had a very rare eye disease, and I was going blind. It was so rare at the time, they had no idea when — “2 weeks, 2 months, 2 years, 20 years…we don’t know”.

As an already promising artist with awards already under my belt, I kept doing what I loved, but was searching for a career I could do with limited-to-no eye sight.

By the end of high school, it was obvious that this wasn’t just a hobby. It was a passion that couldn’t be quenched unless I was actively drawing.

Against all advice, I went to art school, got married, had a baby, and went back to art school finishing top of my class.

I’ve held many jobs, including artist for a New York Times paper, The Gainesville Sun, where I continued to win many Addy Awards.

Then my sight was bad enough I couldn’t drive, and I had to retire at 34. I told Blind Services that I wanted to continue being an artist, and they said that they couldn’t help me then. My real support was my daughter for many years. Now it’s my partner, Zach.

Everyone is now encouraging me to continue painting… yes, I want to with all my heart, but the pain is excruciating, my colors are shifting, and I can no longer see the tip of my brush, even at one inch. I get oil pain in my eyelashes when I work now because I’m so close.

Time for another huge risk. This year I’m walking away from my oil paints, except keeping one painting at a time going for personal pleasure, and finally moving forward with sculpture and pottery. I have been clinging with all my might to a skill I honed daily my whole life, and now I feel like a beginner again.

The fire still burns. I have a lot to do before these hands ever stop. I don’t think any obstacle can ever quench the passion i have for creating. I may feel defeated at times, but the drive to create is stronger and will keep me moving forward.

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

I have painted portraits as long as I can remember. I think it’s because I have never really “seen” a landscape except in photos. I also paint figures, a few landscapes, and whatever moves me.

I think I paint realism because to me reality is so abstract. I have been memorizing people and facial structures since it’s the only thing besides my plants and animals that I can get close enough to see (with permission).

Future works will include pottery, sculptures, and reliefs. I am in the process right now of switching.

Do you think there is something that non-creatives might struggle to understand about your journey as a creative? Maybe you can shed some light?

I think people think that art takes no time and should be the same price as Walmart art, and some art I’ve seen has fed into that. I plan, research, and sketch for more hours than the final piece takes sometimes. My average painting from first brush stroke to signature takes over 100 hours without all the prep work before.

I used to draw 500 hands and 500 feet a year to keep warmed up. There’s so much skill building daily for YEARS. I never just picked up my brush, splash some paint, and call it a day. My goal was to improve and learn something new with every painting.

This daily dedication is worth so much more than, “Hey, can you draw me? What? You want to charge me for it?” or “I’ll let you hang your art in my business. You will get exposure.” None of this pays my bills, or even the excessive cost of quality at supplies. Art is a necessity and moves the world forward in good ways. Artists deserve to be paid their worth.

What do you think is the goal or mission that drives your creative journey?

My goal, even blind, is to bring only the highest quality of work I can make. I want to always strive to meet higher goals, learn new things, experiment with and master skills, all while sharing my voice to help make the world a better place. I want people to look deeper. See the beauty in the world and all the people in it. The horrific is obvious, but the beauty, love, and compassion we should be fighting for is less obvious everyday. I want to do my part to give hope for tomorrow by emphasizing the good of today.

Contact Info:

• Website: Www.LibbySmithStudio.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lsmithstudio
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LSmithStudio
• Youtube: youtube.com/@libbysmithstudio

Image Credits
Libby Smith