Lanie Smith

I am a native Mississippian who currently lives in Phoenix, AZ. I am a Creative Arts Therapist who moved here to work with psychiatric patients after finishing my Master\'s at Pratt Institute of Art in Brooklyn, New York where I lived for two years following a decade in Memphis, TN. My art is about play and the element of risk that comes with allowing myself to do so...to relinquish control of the medium in order to be led. I strive to accept the eccentricity of each piece as another part of myself, others, and the human condition: some parts beautiful, some parts hideous, others interesting, and still others less than my ideal despite the time and effort given. This is a philosophy that supports my work not only as an artist but also as an art therapist and a person. This radical acceptance is the framework for my life with family, peers, coworkers, and my loved ones.