Bio
I am a practicing artist, based at Neo Artists Studio and a poet living in Bolton. I was funded by the Arts Council England for a group exhibition titled “Being Human” at Neo Gallery, Bolton, 4th May- 18th June 2017. I made a successful bid to Arts Council funding to coordinate the exhibition and I evaluated and managed the budget of £14,927. I worked in sculpture, film and photography, using two poems as inspiration.
I have been funded by the Arts Council Emergency Fund during Covid 19 and have been creating work in a variety of media.
I am Unlimited Alumni having been shortlisted for an Emerging Artist Award and received a research grant last year, as well as a very recent Micro Grants to create new work. I work as a Community/Therapeutic Artist in the community for the arts organisation and women’s empowerment organisation Stand Up Sisters, where I hold role of Secretary. I worked as a therapeutic artist for Breakdown Bolton C.I.C. for four years which was set up with the aim of breaking down stigma in the Bolton area.
I am currently training to be an Art Psychotherapist as well as taking part in Continued Professional Development for artists/therapists. This includes Journal Therapy, Storytelling courses as well as Science based courses and a Level 1 Diploma in Shamanic Art Therapy.
I love reading, writing, making art, Zumba, Aqua Aerobics, sleep easy tea and ice cream.
Photography – Distortions. When the world around you blends and blurs.
“Rebirth” coffins, mixed media, 6ft, 4ft.
This piece explores loss, growth and memories. Looking at things that are lost as you grow older, family members who pass, carefree freedom, friendships who move away and changes in character as the seriousness of the “real world” sets in. It also looks at the things that are gained and the things that grow with age, experience and understanding.
Soap making project funded by Unlimited during Covid exploring Bi Polar Disorder, Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, (Obsessive Washing) Psychosis and Recovery.
Stitch and Stories was a Community project led by Stand Up Sisters C.I.C. where I am working as a Director. These images were created within the project. We took inspiration from the book “The Women who run with The Wolves” by Clarissa Pinkola Estes to create this artwork, which is based on ancient myths, legends and fairytales.
I wrote this poem in respond to a line from the book. –
The women came from the wrinkle on the sole of her divine
Foot.
she had recently had a luxury pedicure. The women
Sang
A song to the sound of the kettle boiling. The women
Broke
Free from she knows. They
Tiptoed
Across the bathroom tiles and went out dancing on
The Highstreet.
They trawled through charity shops and ordered red
Sequinned
Shoes off the internet. The women swished their hips and
Swished
Their skirts.
They bought her jeans from cancer research and stitched
African
Textiles
On the
Knees.
The women kept bees and planted sunflower
Seeds
They smoked shisha next to the strip club. They
Feasted
On pomegranate seeds and wondered home barefoot
High
On rubies. The women got high on emeralds. They snorted
Diamonds.
They decorated their eyelids in purple and blue
Powders.
They held each other’s hands. They held each other’s hair
Back
When they were being sick from gin and
Rubies and
Diamonds and
Emeralds.
The women lie on the ground in the
Snow.
They scattered breadcrumbs for the birds in summer, they
Sat
In the sun. they sat in the
Shade. They read the holy scriptures, they read
Shakespeare
With critical frowns on their
Faces.
The women read
War
And Peace.
They shared literature. Passed
Books
Between each other holding the pages with
Love.
The women wrote letters to the government.
They rested only when it was time for to
Rest.
Maddie Smith artist 