Theresa concentrated on ceramics during graduate studies in fine arts at the University of Minnesota, and now works primarily with clay and cast metal. She is active in nonprofit arts organizations, including Artstart, the Bloomington Art Center, and the Northern Clay Center. In collaboration with two other artists and members of the local deaf and blind community, she created a public sculpture titled Tree Bracelet.

Artist's Statement Together with a naturalist and a storyteller, I participated in an Artstart program for children between the ages of 7 and 12 in the Calibre Ridge Townhomes, a Twin Cities Housing Development Corporation residence in Roseville. We explored the neighboring natural world, focusing on the homes of insects and animals, many of which are nests. Our discoveries led us first to create animal-home sculptures and then to make a mural, titled The Heart of the Nest, that consists of tiles bearing words and images suggestive of different people and their homes. I believe these artistic results reflect the notion of home as a nest, a safe haven where the heart is. I owe special thanks to the bright, energetic children of Calibre Ridge, to Steven Grande, and to Ann Godfrey.

Visual Art | Theresa Smith