BIO
Dana Ann Smith
Tucson, AZ
Artist's Statement
From the beginning of my career as an artist I have enjoyed portraying humans and animals interacting in gentle cooperation. Through both painting and sculpture I have been able to represent my emotional attachments to the animal kingdom by intertwining animals into human situations. My works demonstrate that humans and animals can have intricate social relationships. Living in the Sonoran Desert of Tucson I have daily “relationships “ with everything from rattlesnakes, to javelinas, bobcats, cottontails and every now and then a gentle tarantula. Intertwining the roughness of this desert with the
innocence of childhood is challenging and thrilling to me. Many of my recent pieces address the social and cultural controversy surrounding creationism and evolution. Intrigued by the modern world of molecular cloning and the concept of reconstructing existing and extinct animals has afforded limitless ideas rich in imagery. Could hybrids exist in the future that would blend the best of the human and animal kingdom/? My work aspires to be thoughtful and deep, but always tends to have a humorous layer. Many of the pieces references imagery found in art historical works from ancient cultures to the present.
Education
May 2006. University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ
Bachelor of Fine Arts: Studio Art with emphasis in Combined Media
May 1984. University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ
Master of Science:
Nurse Practitioner
May 1980. Texas Christian University, Ft. Worth, TX
Bachelor of Science
Articles
February 21, 2000 - Tucson, AZ
“Eye-catching shuttles to serve downtown“ Tucson Citizen article featuring my Gila Monster bus painted as a public art piece for Tucson Intercity
Express Transit.
April 13, 2000 - Tucson, AZ
“It’s Cool Art- if you can see it” Arizona Daily Wildcat article featured accepted piece “Girls love Dogs_Dogs Love Girls”
September 5, 2002 - Tucson, AZ
“Tucson artist uses talent to heal, honor 9-11 victims” Tucson Citizen article on the history of my mixed media work which now hangs at the Santa
Rosa Recreation Center
December 2005 - Tucson, AZ
“The Works of Dana Smith” Arizona Public Media video bio featuring personal studio interview.
March 2006 - Tucson, AZ
“Dana Smith Animals in Clay – A two day hands on workshop.” Southern Arizona Clay Association News article describing my works and announcing a 2-day workshop where I did demonstrations constructing animals, repairing broken sculpture, and how to use metallic paints and patinas. pp. 6-7.
March 2008 - Tucson, AZ
“167 Local artists open studio doors to you.” Arizona Daily Star article featuring photos of my Tucson,AZ studio along with personal interview featuring my work
March/April 2009 - Tucson, AZ
“The World of Dana Smith” by Thomas Kerrigan printed in the journal New Ceramics pp. 29-31.
November 2009 - Tucson, AZ
“Peak into Artists Inner Sanctum.“ Downtown Tucsonan article featuring image of my work as kickoff for Tucson Open Studio Tour
Public Art Works
February, 2000 - Tucson, AZ
Tucson Department of Transportation :“ParkwiseTICET” Commissioned to paint a bus as
part a new program. “The Gila Monster.”
March, 2003 - Tucson, AZ
Tucson Pima Art’s Council “Ponies del Pueblo”. Commissioned to paint life size pony sponsored by
Casino of the Sun and The Educational Enrichment Foundation.
Teaching and Presentations
April 2008 “Animals in Clay Then and Now!”
Lecture with slides presented to the Southern Arizona Clay Association members and the general public. Included present and historical slides of art pieces and how they have influenced my work. April 25, 2008, held at 7th Avenue Art Studios.
May 2008 “Animals in Clay”
two-day hands-on workshop sponsored by Southern Arizona Clay Association. Demonstrations included how to make an animal to scale using three-dimensional models, how to repair clay pieces (techniques of Bondo and epoxy), and the use of metallic paints and patinas. April 26 and May 3, 2008
July 2008. “Make your Martian in Clay
” a two-day class teaching scientists involved in the Phoenix Mars Mission how to create simple clay figures bringing to life their ideas of martian creatures.
July 2009 Tucson Museum of Art Summer School.
Held summer school ceramics class in ceramics for high school students: hand building, coil building, basic firing, and glazing techniques were explored.