Shannon Smith
Artist Statement
I am a visual artist based in Oklahoma City. My work largely deals with racial identity and mental health awareness. Through portraiture, I try to increase the visibility of women of color, challenging their representation or lack thereof in western art. I am also working on a collection of pieces that will provoke discussion about mental illness stigma - particularly the stigma surrounding childhood trauma and the lingering impact that childhood trauma has on the lives of adult survivors. Holistically, my work deals with the mislabels that are projected on marginalized groups by dominant society and seeks to dismantle and redefine these misrepresentations. My dominant mediums are soft pastel, watercolor, and acrylic.
Shannon Smith is an African American portrait artist based in Oklahoma City. Her work has been featured in a number of shows at local and out of state galleries, including showings at Oklahoma Contemporary, Current Studio, DNA Galleries, The Paseo Plunge, CFA Studio in Albuquerque, NM, and a publication with The Santa Ana River Review (Winter 2018). In addition, she was a mentee with the 2018 Inclusion in Art mentorship program.
Shannon’s work was featured in our exhibition Inclusion in Art at The Art Hall, December 7, 2018 - March 31, 2019.