Artist Statement

My name is Shannon Smith. 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, acrylic, and alcohol ink marker.