Artist's Bio

Alma L. Smith aka A. Lee resides in Hampton Roads, as a full-time visual artist. After high school, she worked as a daycare aide, provider, and teacher for eleven to twelve years. During this time, she pursued a college education and graduated from the University of the Arts of Philadelphia, with a BFA in Crafts-Ceramics, and advanced courses the first year in molding and casting, animation, children's book formation, and photography. Self-taught in the areas of painting, quilting, and silk screening. She is the owner and proprietor of A. Lee Studio featuring Onyx Butterflies Creations and Graceful Expressions with a full working studio. During 2002, to the present, She had a solo exhibition at the Hampton University Museum, and Armstrong Slater student gallery. participated in the Downtown Redevelopment Partnership Outdoor Art Market, recipient of the Mayor's award. She also participated in 2015 The Light of the Ancestors, at the Pepco Edison Place Gallery, Washington, DC. A. Lee has created over 300 pieces during the last 15 years and sold over 265 pieces.

Statement

I always hear Art is life, I believe it carries therapeutic entities, it holds power, it gives life.
I think there are many creative people in the world today than any other time on the earth.
People are relating to and referring back to when they first started out as a child. That art was the first thing they experienced, and how happy they were when they were creating art.
My mom-mom, who was my god-mom started doing art at age 85. She seems to really be into it just as much as myself and I have been into this for many years. I think it really helped her stay around a little while longer, until the end of 2016. I looked up to her, she was our elder who I believe, like art had golden light.

My art pieces were chosen from the various series I created over the past 16 years.