ann p. smith

"My inspiration comes from both natural and mechanical forms, and what results when you combine the two. I enjoy the notion of taking a mechanical part which was created to preform a specific task and transforming it into something completely different. The design and engineering of machine parts fascinates me. Nothing is wasted in their production; every piece is paired down to it's essentials and serves a distinct purpose. My process begins with taking apart a broken and discarded electronic device. By isolating one part from the rest of the components it becomes scrap and all that's left is a shape. These shapes sometimes remind me of natural forms— bones, feathers, hair... etc. I separate the pieces into groups of similar shapes and sizes and store them. When I set out to make a sculpture, I first focus on building the structural form of an animal using different machine parts. Next, I'll build on to it, adding bulk, textures and final details. A piece only feels complete when it's acquired a sense of life and personality."

Ann Smith spends her days making animal inspired sculptures from broken electronics and machine parts. Her works have been displayed in galleries and museums across the US, including The Peabody Essex Museum, the Ohio Craft Museum, and the Mulvane Art Museum. Ann's illustrations have been selected to appear in the Communications Arts Illustration Annual #337, the American Illustration 25 Annual, and the 3x3 Illustration Annual No. 7. Recently, she has received both local and international recognition from Wired Magazine (US), PBS Boston, DPI Magazine (Taiwan), Architectural Digest (Germany), GQ (Germany), and The Discovery Channel Canada. In 2006 and again in 2010, the Elizabeth Greenshields Foundation (Quebec) awarded Ann a grant for her continued work in the fine arts. She has also worked with the Science Centre in Montreal, as well as the Providence Children's museum to bring her creations to the curious minded. Ann, a graduate of the Rhode Island School of Design, still lives and works in Providence RI.