~ Carrol Ann Smedley ~ Biography ~

As a self-taught artist, I first began selling my work by commission and consignment in 1991 in Prince George, BC. At that time I was exploringAcrylics on decorative wood items, and making jewelry pieces from porcelain. By 1994 my focus shifted to acrylic paintings on canvas, many of which I sold while I worked and painted in Arizona.
As my confidence and ability grew, I began to be interested in watercolour as a method to loosen my style, listen to intuition, and learn to work with "what comes from the brush". An artist friend in Nevada encouraged me to begin drawing, sketching, and keeping a journal. Those early representations provide a wealth of information for me now as my work moves more and more into an abstract format.
I participated in my first show as a student of sculpture at Great Basin College, Elko, Nevada, in 1999. From that show I was invited to place my work in a local gallery. The work I subsequently produced for Desert Gold Gallery has sold throughout the State of Nevada, and elsewhere in the USA, and Canada. I frequently receive requests for commissions, and my work may be found in private collections in Nevada, Arizona, Colorado, California, Canada, and New Zealand.
Currently, my work consists of abstract or thematic pieces of varying size from 6 inches x 6 inches, to 4 feet x 6 feet. My favorite medium is multi-dimensional assemblage with mixed media and found objects. Since moving to Victoria I have concentrated on producing larger bodies or work for single, or perhaps, multi-artist shows.
In December of 2003 I was selected to participate in a multi-artist show at Curioso Gallery in Victoria . Following that, I prepared 30 archival pieces for a very sucessful summer show at the Armstrong-Spalamachene Museum/Gallery in Armstrong, BC.
Most recently, during the pre-Christmas season this past December, a dual-artist, 4 day show, with Lee Mckenzie of Victoria, proved to be wonderfully well attended, and encouraging. At the present time my work can be found at SHE SAID GALLERY on Fernwood Street next to the Belfry Theatre, and at HOMEWORKS next to Starbucks in the Fairfield Shopping Center, at Fairfield and St. Charles, in Victoria. My next show is planned for the month of November 2005 at the Mocha House on Cook Street, in Victoria. Hope to see you there.