About
Colleen Francis Smith is an oil painter currently working out of Raleigh, North Carolina. She holds an M.F.A. in Painting from the University of Missouri and a B.A. in English Literature from St. Joseph's University. In her paintings, she employs myth, folklore and the natural world to create dreamy environments that explore feelings of solitude, loss, complacency and yearning for connection, especially in such a time as this when humans are coping with the climate emergency. Using the landscape as a psychological character, these worlds are often populated with solitary figures who, left to their own devices, are venturing into worlds previously unknown. Smith has exhibited her work in several states, as well as Ukraine. Her studio assistants are Dave, a curious and luxuriant black cat, and Olivia, a chirpy, nervous, white and orange cat who both enjoy lounging about in the studio as she paints.
Education
2018 University of Missouri, Columbia, MO
M.F.A. in Painting
2011 Saint Joseph’s University, Philadelphia. PA
B. A. in Fine Arts with a Painting Concentration
B. A. in English with a Writing Concentration
Selected Exhibitions (* denotes solo show)
2023 She and All Her Flowers, Truist Art Gallery, Durham, NC *
2021 The New Pre-Raphaelites: Illumination, Era Contemporary, Philadelphia, PA (virtual)
Dreamland, Arts to Hearts Project, New Delhi, India (virtual)
Dreams and Nightmares, Gallery Underground, Arlington, VA
2019 Small Art/Big Stories, Montminy Gallery, Columbia, MO
2018 Ekphrasis, The Box Gallery, Kansas City, MO
Gradualism, George Caleb Bingham Gallery, Columbia, MO
Foresteria, George Caleb Bingham Gallery, Columbia, MO *
2017 The Neidermeyer Experiment, Historic Neidermeyer Apartments, Columbia, MO
Women’s History Month Exhibition, Unions’ Art of the University of Missouri, Columbia, MO *
In the Studio, Montminy Art Gallery, Columbia, MO
Audubon Mural Project, through Gitler_& Gallery, New York, NY
2016 Pathways and Passages, Columbia Art League, Columbia, MO
(dis)enchanted, Central Bank of Boone County via Columbia Art League, Columbia, MO *
2015 Women in the Arts, The Craft Studio, Columbia, MO
White Walls, George Caleb Bingham Gallery, Columbia, MO
2013 Annual Zakarpattya Oil Painters’ Exhibit, Bokshay Painters’ Museum, Uzhhorod, Ukraine
Recent Works, Oblast Library, Uzhhorod, Ukraine *
2011 Senior Thesis Exhibition, Saint Joseph’s University, Philadelphia, PA
2010 Junior Art Exhibition, Saint Joseph’s University, Philadelphia, PA
Curatorial
2016 Corpus, University of Missouri Craft Studio, Columbia, MO
2014 Unmonumental, Columbia, MO
Teaching and Professional Experience
2022-Present Assistant Professor, Fine Arts, Missouri Valley College
2021 Arts Instructor, Painting and Drawing, Cary Arts Center, Cary, NC
2019 Adjunct Professor, Drawing One and Two, Missouri Valley College, Marshall, MO
2018 Adjunct Professor, Art Appreciation One, Moberly Area Community College, Moberly, MO
Instructor of Record, Drawing One, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO
2017 Artist Assistant to Arline Jacoby, New York, NY
Art Department Office Assistant, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO
2016-2017 Graduate Assistant, Montclair State University, Montclair NJ
2015-2016 Events Coordinator for the Association of Graduate Art Students, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO
2015-2016 Instructor of Record, Drawing One, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO
2015 Intern at the Craft Studio Gallery, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO
2014- 2016 Intern and Studio Assistant at Access Arts, Columbia, MO
2014-2015 Teaching Assistant, Art Appreciation, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO
2012 Children’s Art and English Camp Director and Counselor, Uzhhorod, Ukraine
2011-2013 Teacher of English Language, United States Peace Corps Ukraine, Uzhhorod, Ukraine
Residencies
2020 Artist in Residence, Eastern Frontier Education Foundation Residency, Norton Island, ME
Recipient of Fellow Artist Award, Salem Art Works, Salem, NY (canceled due to Covid-19)
2017 Artist in Residence, Access Arts, Columbia, MO
Awards and Honors
2016 Recipient of Graduate Assistantship Award, Montclair State University, Montclair, NJ
First Place, Pathways and Passages, Columbia Art League, Columbia, MO
2015 Recipient of Dorothy Rollins Memorial Scholarship for Drawing and Painting, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO
2014-2016 Paul D. Coverdell Peace Corps Fellow, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO
2010 Omicron Phi Chapter of Sigma Tau Delta, International English Honors Society, Saint Joseph’s University, Philadelphia, PA
2007-2011 Saint Joseph’s University Presidential Academic Award
Morgan J. Hand Scholarship Award
Bibliography
2021 Doug Rule, Dreams and Nightmares, Metro Weekly, January 2021
Joanne Barrera, Dreams and Nightmares, Juried Exhibition at Gallery Underground, Patch.com, January
2017 Lauren DiSalvo, Celebrating Women’s History Month with the Work of Colleen Smith, University of Missouri Unions’ Arts Blog, March
2016 Aarik Danielson, Niche-Colleen Smith, Columbia Tribune, March