Connie Smith grew up with clay in her hands before she could write her name. Her family moved to Gallatin from northern Ohio in 1977, and while still a pre-teen, a chance meeting with a young doll maker in East Tennessee inspired a fixation on “dolls as objects of cultural inheritance” that ultimately changed the trajectory of her creative life.
A Vol State alum, Connie earned her associate’s degree in Fine Arts in 1988 and a Bachelor's degree in Fine Art from the University of Memphis.
Her need “to restore something primal and intuitive” prompted an unabashed and full-scale return to 3D clay forms. Connie adapted the practice of hand-building hollow forms from high-fire clays and began reinventing the figures of her early childhood. From 1991 to 2005, she honed her oeuvre in her family's art studio, The Lamb’s Ear, attending art festivals and salons of her work hosted in the homes of collectors. By the mid-1990’s Connie's work began to appear in trade magazines, and she joined the National Institute of American Doll Artists. The mature development of her signature anthropomorphic style, has found its way into collections across the country, including a few high-profile collections: Nashville music producers Mike and Linda Curb, actress Whoopi Goldberg and Disney animators Eric and Susan Goldberg.
Connie moved to New York City in 2007, where she joined the Robert Blackburn Printmaking Workshop, honing her lithography and book arts skills. With the advice of a local filmmaker, she furthered a short film idea.
Having chaired NIADA's 2017 Conference in Nashville, she recently moved back to the area. She anticipates teaching sculpting workshops, and starting pre-production on her first short film. The Vol State Gallery is pleased to present her first solo exhibition since her return to Gallatin.
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