Sylvia Chesley Smith attended Cornish Institute of the Arts in 1981 in mid-life after raising her three daughters, graduating in 1981 with a B.F.A. in painting and sculpture. Her art provides a balance against her work as a counselor. Sylvia is one of three daughters, as is her 93-year-old mother who still plays the piano.

“I like to build. Making something from nothing. Order from chaos. When I paint I start with color. Color and more color. Layers of paint rubbed back to show what was before. Then images appear. Air born things; seeds, leaves, birds. Flying. Floating. Or, references to people; bowls, hands, clothing. I ground it all with architectural references; houses, arches, windows. And, circles. Where it all begins and ends. Creating is a longing. A being. A process that, for me, is an inner journey that has its own language.”

All work by Sylvia Chesley Smith