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  Artist Statement

 by Terry Lynn Smith

 

Painting began for me in 2002.  In that year life threatening illnesses encouraged me to find an outlet for my anger, which in turn led to a paintbrush and college.  Seeking a catharsis for my emotions, I struggled when I could not hold my paintbrush.  Wondering why I initiated this endeavor to paint when I was a novice and in so much pain, I still could not drop the very tool to delineate how I felt.  I painted, I dropped, I painted, I dropped.  I learned to overcome.

 

My first creations were self based - they represented the conflict and struggle of pain while finding the will to live.  My fears and physical imperfections manifested into my art and were titled such as “The Art of Surviving,” which encompassed my loss of breasts and reconstructive surgery.  This artwork shown yearly is considered haunting yet realistic and has reached the public with wincing surprise.

 

My vision has changed over the years and as I began to heal, I longed to capture the life of individuals or the essence of humanity, which I entitled “eyes of the soul” as all humans endure life.  In essence, I wanted to paint humans in a surrealistic way, representing the face in an emotional, unique and evoking way, creating a story - a past and a future.  I use the eyes as a tool into the human psyche while arousing painful emotions in my artwork.

 

It has been my blessing to have created over 350 oil and pastel paintings in my 7 year career.  I continue to use art as therapy and leave it as a mark behind for those that identify with life’s journey.

 

Publications:

October 2008 - The Progress Index Newspaper, The Colonial Voice and the V Magazine for Women featured full page story and paintings of my work advertizing my show “The Art of Surviving”.

April 14, 2008 – The Progress Index Newspaper published my painting If Only Our Problems Could be Solved With Prescriptions in their article for winning first place at the JTCC Art Show.

October 25, 2007 – The Progress Index Newspaper featured a page on my upcoming 3rd Annual Show, The Art of Surviving, along with 5 of my paintings and an article about my work.

2007 - The Sherwood Forest Literary Review 2007 – My painting Allie Sleeping was the book cover.

May 2007 - Natural Awakenings Magazine – My painting of The Straw Hat was the featured art work in an article.

January 2007 - Richmond Magazine, Article titled Exhibitions – Gallery Access, featured my painting of Sammi & Samoa and an article on Exhibiting Outside the Lines in Richmond.

2006 – “Colonial Heights Painter a Force Behind “The Art of Surviving”, front cover of The Progress Index Newspaper, September 16, 2006 issue, featured my painting Sammi and Samoa and article about my life and art work.

September – October 2006 – Articles appeared in several local newspapers by the VA Breast Cancer Foundation advertising my 2nd annual show “The Art of Surviving.

Fall 2006 – My painting titled Charley and Champ and my profile were featured on the inside covers of the 2007 People of John Tyler Community College Foundation Calendar.

January 2006 – Illustrated a book titled Keep on Stepping Brazil, written by Michele Bland.

September 27, 2005 - “Painting Away Pain”, article in The Richmond Times Dispatch, cover of the Flair Section, which featured my artwork and story about my life. 

September 18, 2005 - “Artist Finds New Life In Painting” in The Progress Index Newspaper, front cover of the Sunday edition, and the front cover of The Colonial Voice, September 16, 2006, featured several of my paintings and my story.       

September 2005 - The People of John Tyler Community College Annual Calendar 2005-2006 - My painting Willow In The Wind, was published inside.

Spring 2005 - Inquiry - The Journal of the Virginia Community Colleges, Volume 10, No. 1, featured my painting Allie Sleeping as the book cover.

January 27, 2005 - The Richmond Times Newspaper - My oil painting Tyra advertised my upcoming solo exhibition at Art Works, Inc.

July 2004 - Natural Awakenings Magazine, Richmond, VA - My oil painting, Flowers in a Vase, was the cover of the magazine and also included a short biography on myself.

February 1, 2004 - The Progress Index Newspaper - Life Style cover page - article and picture of myself and other artists participating in a pastel class was featured.

August 2003 - Natural Awakenings Magazine, Richmond, VA - My oil painting Fall Festival was the cover of the magazine and included a short biography on myself.

July 2003 - The Progress Index Newspaper, Petersburg, VA - Article and picture on the front page featured me inside my studio for the grand opening of The Petersburg Regional Art Center.