Virginia Evans Smit

“NIGHT BLOOM”
monoprint
SOLD

"Red Daisies"
15 x 22 inches, Digital Print on Handmade Paper
$700.

“Dans le Jardin”
Silkscreen, 22 x 30 inches
$700

(LEFT) “Old Chinese”
solar plate etching with Chine Colle
11 x 14 inches $500

(RIGHT) “Breaking Out II “
Solar Plate etching
11 x 14 inchea $600

“Beach House Pond”
Digital print with relief printing
30 x 22 inches $900

Left to right.

“Delicate Blossoms”
Solar plate etching with Chine Colle
11 x 14 inches $600

“Hibiscus Divide”
Solar plate etching with Chine Colle, 11 x 14 Inches $ 600

“Hibiscus Moonlight”
Solar plate etching with silver leaf and chine Colle
11 x 14 inches $600

My life is like a library. I source images from observation and years of travel but most of all from nature. Its forms, shapes and colors provide my vocabulary for my visual poetry. My latest work shares an accumulation of printmaking techniques that I have worked with for several years. I have long had an interest in painted layered collage-like works. As a printmaker and painter I have worked on techniques that paint and transfer images I create or photograph to make this affect. Photo transfer, lithography, relief printing, silkscreen and monotype are all used to create my works.

My winters are spent in the tropics, so color plays a large part in my creative process. I have a special attraction to the landscape painting of Japan. These artists are ardent lovers of nature and they closely observe its changing moods. I too spend long periods in my garden in Barbados observing the changing flora and the other inhabitants as the days pass. By definition, because most of my works are multi-medium with a monotype or silkscreen base, they can be called monoprints. I keep trying to push the envelope as I work, ever trying to tease the observer to wonder, “how did she do that?”

BIOGRAPHY

EDUCATION

1954-58 B.S. Morgan State University, Baltimore, MD

1958-60 M.F.A. University of Pennsylvania, Phila., PA

1975-78 M.A. Teachers College, Columbia University, New York City

Additional study in printmaking with: Clare Romano,

William Maxwell, Janice Loeb & Luther Davis, Master printer

SELECTED SOLO EXHIBITIONS

2016 “Botanicals”, Viridian Artists, NYC

2013: “F” IS FOR FLOWERS, FISH AND FRAGMENTS , Viridian Artists, NYC

2007: “In Bloom”, Viridian Artists, NYC

2003:- ”“SNAPSHOTS : A JOURNEY FROM 9/11 TO 11/9”, Viridian Artists, NYC.

2001 Kindred People, Places & Things, Viridian Artists

1999 Diasporo Journey, Mehu Gallery, NYC

1998 Connections, Viridian Artists Inc, NYC

1997 Sun Spaces Barbados Museum and Historical Society, Barbados WI

1996 Ten Years of Inspiration, James E. Lewis Museum of Art, Morgan State University, Baltimore, MD

1995 Recent Works, Viridian Gallery, New York City

1991 Sun People, Places and Things, Viridian Gallery, NYC

1988 Recent Works, Viridian Gallery, NYC

1985 New Prints and Paintings, Viridian Gallery, NYC

1984 The Wall Gallery, John Jay College, NYC

1980 Earth Works, Viridian Gallery, NYC

1978 Drawings and Prints, Viridian Gallery, NYC

1976 Macy Gallery, Teachers College, Columbia University, NYC

SELECTED GROUP EXHIBITIONS

2022 “EXPRESSIONS 2”, Viridian Artists NYC

2014 “Three Uptown”, Mehu Gallery NYC

2013 “Endings and Beginnings”, Viridian Artists NYC

2012“Yin & Yang: Fusing Complementary Opposites, Viridian Artists NYC

2001 Onward Gallery, Tokyo, Japan

2000 5 Women Artists of the New Century, Manhattanville Collge, NY

The Pocket Project, South Broadway Cultural Canter, Albuqerque, NM

New York 2000, Albright Knox Museum, Buffalo,

Working Women, Mehu Gallery, NYC

Kindred Spirits, Virginia Smit & Ann Tanksley, Grace Baptist Church Art Center, Mt Vernon, NY

1999 Huit Artists NY, MAPRA Maison des Arts Plastiques Rhone-Alpes, Lyon, France

Women Artists in Celebration of Lois MailauJones, The Nztional Arts Clib

The Heweitt collection of African American Art,

Bank of America – traveling exhibit 1999-2001

Saving the Planet, John Jay College, NYC

Community Gallery, Albright Knox, Buffalo

1998 The National Black Fine Art Show, Puck Blg, NYC

Small World Viridian Artists Inc. NYC

Under the Sun Viridian Artists Inc. NYC

1997 An Artistic Journey selections from the Hewitt Collection of African-American Art,

The Milton Rhodes Gallery, Winston-Salem, NC

Artists Choose Artists Viridian Artists Inc.NYC

Invitational Cinque Gallery NYC

Up From Manhattan College of Mt. St. Vincent, Riverdale NY

1996 Printmaking: The Process Curated by Virginia Evans Smit, Cinque Gallery NYC

Inspiration’s Source James Lewis, Artist-Teacher with Jack White and Virginia Evans Smit, Lubin House Gallery, New York City

Diverse Influences CCI Gallery, Boston MA

1995 AAMARP Galleries, Boston, MA

Aldridge Museum of Contemporary Art, Ridgefield, CT

1994 Nexus Gallery, Philadelphia, PA

1993 Cinque Gallery, NYC

Women, Bratton Gallery, NYC

25th Anniversary, Viridian Artists Inc. NYC

1992 Viridian Gallery, NYC

Viridian Gallery Selections, Lever House, NYC

Columbus Quincentennial, Liberty State Park, Jersey City, NJ

First Annual Alumni Exhibition,University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA

1991 Sketches, Viridian Gallery, NYC

1990 Viridian Gallery, NYC

Small Works, Virginal Evans Smit curator, Wall Gallery, John Jay College of Criminal Justice, NYC

1989 Viridian Gallery, NYC

The Limited Edition, The Office of Manhattan Borough, President, David Dinkins, NYC

Dedication Exhibition, James E. Lewis Museum,Balt., MD Progressions, Cultural Legacy, The Clocktower, NYC

1988 Viridian Gallery, NYC

Jerry Mitchell Memorial, Exit Art, NYC

1987 Suggestions, Viridian Gallery, NYC

1986 Viridian Gallery, NYC

Art in Print: A Tribute to Robert Blackburn, New York Public Library, NYC

1984 Viridian Gallery, NYC

Viridian Gallery at Concordia, Concordia University, Bronxville, NY

Printmaking Workshop, traveled to Hamilton College, NY

SUNY at Buffalo, NY

Community Folk Gallery, Syracuse, NY

AWARDS AND BIBLIOGRAPHY

Artist-in-Residence Barbados Community College, Barbados WI 1998

Thornton Oakley Creative Achievement Award, U of Pennsylvania

African American Women Artist 1993 calendar published by Colgate-Palmolive

Maxwell, William C., Printmaking: A Beginning Handbook Prentice Hall, Featured in “Relief Printing”

Essay “What is a Print” catalogue, Art in Print, A Tribute to Robert Blackburn The New York Public Library

COLLECTIONS

Colgate-Palmolive, NY

General Foods, Rye NY

Bank of America, the Hewitt Collection of African American Art, (Traveling Exhibit 1999-2001),

American Express Publications, NY

Equitable Life Assurance, NY

James E. Lewis Museum, Baltimore MD

University of the Virgin Islands, St. Thomas VI

New York Public Library, NY

The Federation of United Black Artists Collection, Johannesburg, South Africa

Hewitt Collection of African-American Art, NY

Wine and Food Magazine, NY