We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Michelle A. Smith a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Hi Michelle A., thanks for joining us today. Can you talk to us about how you learned to do what you do?
My journey into becoming a sculptor started in earnest the year after my husband died on Active Duty with the US Navy. It began as I found myself with the time and financial ability to take a one-off pottery workshop at a local clay studio. In that first evening session I found myself entranced by the literal trance the potter’s wheel opened me up to as I attempted to create something out of nothing, Focusing on the push pull, immediate cause and effect of working with clay allowed me a brief escape from the cycle of grieving I was going through.
That one night started a fascination and passion for ceramics and multi=media sculpture that has continued for the past fifteen years. I ended up enrolling in the local community college after that and took every ceramics and sculpture class they offered three times over. The classes really helped to keep me occupied and re-learn how to be social while our young daughter was in school. I was so enthralled with learning everything I possibly could that I volunteered for the ceramic/sculpture studio for three years after which they created a part-time studio manager position for me. While volunteering I found a love for troubleshooting, assisting the teachers and their students with projects and figuring out all it takes to run a studio as efficiently as possible.
Fast forward a few more years, I decided it was time to go back to school to finish my bachelor’s degree. I had been in the middle of earning a Bachelors Degree in Graphic Design when my husband passed the decade before. His GI Bill extended to me as a surviving spouse so I was able to complete the last two years and earn a BFA in Sculpture from George Mason University. This all coincided with our daughter graduating high school and ,unfortunately, the beginning of the pandemic.
Looking back, I don’t think there was anything that could have been done to speed up my switch to ceramics or finishing my degree in Art. I have learned first hand that Life has a tendency to get in the way when you least expect it. I believe that my ability to be open, flexible and not too scared to try again with Life is what led me to where I am today.
I am currently entering my final semester at James Madison University. This Spring I will earn my Master of Fine Arts Degree in Studio Art. My thesis work is an exploration of the correlation between human emotions and that of the ceramic process. I am accomplishing this through the creation of physical clay objects that capture the expression of complex emotions. With this degree I plan to teach Studio Art at the University level. I wish to offer the same opportunity to my students that art has given me– a chance to play, experiment, explore, and meditate on personally important issues in a safe and supportive environment– where there is no wrong, only try.
Michelle A., 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?
Michelle A. Smith is a sculptor from the DC Metropolitan area and the surviving spouse of Naval Petty Officer 2nd Class Nicholas Eric Smith (AD2 VFA-211 Fighting Checkmates, Oceana NAS). She is currently an MFA candidate at James Madison University, set to graduate in May 2025. Her work carefully positions the viewer within personal narratives, focusing on confronting and expanding the emotions of grief and loss. Smith translates these complex emotions into physical objects and installations. She invites her audience to experience the edges of what she feels using a variety of mediums with a foundation in ceramics and metals.
Currently, her thesis work investigates the material properties of clay and how it lends itself
to a parallel conversation on human existence and experiences. The earth is a body that
supports life. Michelle take that clay body and transform it through water, pressure, surface textures,
tension, heat; the equivalence of stress, anxiety, loss, physical exertion, etc. Under this lens, clay
and human alike represent vessels of opposing physical and psychological definitions. Hard,
strong, rigid and resilient, yet retaining visual softness, capable of concealing internal weakness.
Fragile, ugly and beautiful all at once. She translates this information into a visual representation
that conveys the interconnectedness of the human experience utilizing her own narrative as a
starting point. Michelle whole-heartedly asserts that creating art helps to bridge the gap between what is said and unsaid. Through her artwork, she hopes to reconnect with humanity, which she has felt distant from due to her losses.
What do you find most rewarding about being a creative?
The most rewarding part of being creative is the ability to express myself when words simply fail. This is followed closely by being able to apply my creative skills in an alternative perspective so I can better troubleshoot most perceived problems. This open, “out of the box” way of thinking can be successfully applied to ALL areas of Life. I believe there is more than one “right” way of doing things and it’s exciting to figure it out!
What can society do to ensure an environment that’s helpful to artists and creatives?
I believe creating career opportunities for artists to apply their special abilities within corporate structures would help to alleviate the stigma of being an Artist and make it a more viable career path.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.michelleannsmith.com
- Instagram: @michelleannsmith11
