“Art was my way of dealing with my parents’ divorce,” she explains. She and her younger brother moved around and bounced between their parents’ homes. Though they were supportive of her talents, the divorce was isolating. She found solace through drawing and writing alone in her bedroom. One day in middle school, Smith started drawing from a family album of baby photos from before the divorce. The photos were happy, humorous. “Those were my very early moments with portraiture.” She continues to take inspiration from photos, often with her own children as muse, and works in oil and acrylic while incorporating elements of crotchet.
Smith, 38, is tenured associate professor of Studio Art at Central State University. She lives with her three children Zion (14), Zachary (10) and Zavier (8), plus their rescue mutt, Stella Artois.
GLOBAL CITIZEN
Smith attended Central State University for undergraduate studies and the University of Cincinnati for graduate school, where she received a Master of Fine Arts degree. Yearning to explore Europe since childhood, she was able to tour Italy at age 23 through the MFA program. Dr. Kristi Nelson was her art history professor and mentor at the time. “She was a real, true ally. It was strange going from Central State, an HBCU, to a place where I was only one of two Black people in the program, and the youngest, and a woman.” When she returned to teach at Central State after graduate school, she implemented a study-abroad program in Florence and Rome, inspired by Nelson.
A SAFE SPACE
“My day begins before the sun with taking my daughter to school. That ride is one of the few moments we get alone as mother and daughter. We are a very safe and open space for each other. We unpack our heavy loads big time from dealing with being female minorities in a world that constantly pushes back against us. She and I are quite rebellious when it comes to authority, so we usually talk and laugh about that.”
A BEAUTIFUL LIFE
“From there, I return home and get my boys ready for school. That is a bit more chaotic with ‘pulling straws’ to see who needs to feed the dog and take her out. Our days go by so fast with them being in sports, chess club, ASL club. All three (children) are current subject matter for both upcoming exhibitions in Dayton and Cincinnati. I want to use my work to showcase their uniqueness. As we all grow, we are still learning and getting to know each other. It’s a beautiful life when I examine it in this way.”
STUDIO & SANCTUARY
“Once I make it to work, I use this time to meditate, which involves a collective of sound bowls, sketching and painting, and organizing my space before my students arrive to class. This ritual is important to me. I believe the space I set also sets the energy and tone in the atmosphere, which students need desperately. Students will arrive early just to see what I’m up to before class. The studio is a sanctuary for both me and the students.”
PROFESSOR & PUPIL
“While class is going, I often use this time to catch up with my own work. I don’t always have the luxury of waiting until I’m alone. In the past, waiting for solitude often led to the work not getting done at all. So I have decided that I am both the professor and the pupil. Working in this way is not just productive, but humbling. Students are watching my process from start to finish, asking me what the work will be for, how long will it take, what made me decide to do this or that. They are both my mentees and mentors in a sense, and that has definitely led to a major sense of accountability, which we need from many generations, not just our own.
A MOVEABLE STUDIO
“Sometimes I work in the ‘sanctuary,’ other times in my office,” where she keeps drawers full of paints and other supplies. “Other times, at home with a ‘do not disturb’ sign on the door. Other times at home with the door open and welcoming my children to observe and comment.” Smith is “always working” and maximizes her time by not watching television.
PEACE THROUGH ART
After work, Smith may attend an art opening or other event, such as the annual NAACP gala. She is a member of Women Strong, a diverse group of female artists, and recently participated in an opening of a group show, “Elemental Love — Advancing Peace through Art,” with the University of Dayton.
PRECIOUS TIME
“Leaving campus after a day of trials and triumphs enriches my life. Being with my children has become more and more precious. We yearn for the moments where we can just sit back with our snacks and watch my favorite ‘90s films together.”
“I am so lucky, blessed and fortunate to have my life. It is so layered and complex. For the universe to trust with me this job is nothing short of humbling.”
THE PARTICULARS
Erin M. Smith currently has work in the faculty exhibition at Central State University. Included is her 4x8 foot mural, “Zion on the Swings.” Two upcoming solo exhibitions exploring themes of nature and mental health are “From the Inside Out” at Black Palette Art Gallery at 1139 W. Third St. in Dayton, and “HAIR-itage” at the Clifton Cultural Arts Center in Cincinnati, both in March 2024. Follow along on Instagram at thescarvinartist.
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