Mary Krebs Smyth
"Deconstruct / Reconstruct"
|
|
|
| (Photos by Patrick Fraser) |
My desire to be an artist began in high school. After being accepted at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago, necessity redirected my career to education. At Northeastern Illinois University, I earned my M.A. in Special Education. I spent 35 years as a teacher and counselor for the Chicago Public Schools. I continued studying at the AIC, University of Illinois, Evanston Art Center, and Highland Park Art Center to fulfill the requirements for an Art Therapy license.
I opened the Studio for Creative Exploration at the Noyes Art Center in the early 1990s, where I practiced art therapy and exhibited my artwork for 10 years.
I returned to my early passion to be a visual artist. My interests expanded over many mediums and led me to create smaller, focused bodies of work in drawing, painting, prints, photography, fiber, encaustic, collage, and assemblage through studies with many amazing local artists. My recent work is most informed by my deep prevailing interest in outsider art, folk art, and art therapy.