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STATEMENT

    I make art that helps people experience ordinary moments of their lives as beautiful and remarkable. With my figurative ceramic sculptures, I use vivid colors, aligning patterns, and dynamic lines to celebrate every moment of our lives as unique and valuable. 

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    I sculpt with clay and use colorful ceramic glazes with multiple firings to paint my sculptures. Using a sculpting knife and metal rib I find synchronous combinations between planes, lines, and then I add color. I paint each plane as I would paint a canvas.

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    For me, the planes of my figurative sculptures represent patterns of our beliefs and theories that define our world view map; the lines are our evolving response to life’s changes; and color, our emotional reactions. 

 

   Our values, actions, and emotions define and shape us. My sculptures offer a metaphorical representation of our best lives.

BIO

    Vera Smiley (b. Almaty, Kazakhstan) devoted herself to what is called "Connection Beyond Words" - the universal language of human emotion through sculpture, clay prints, time, and place.

    Vera was born and grew up in the Soviet Union before it collapsed and turned to art as means of creating her world where she would not belong to politics or be limited by anything.

     She earned a BFA from Kazakh State Pedagogical University at the faculty of Fine Arts, in Almaty in the early nineties. Vera has traveled to more than 35 different countries and lived on three continents. She extensively attended master classes in different places of the world.

    Vera has participated in exhibitions at The Museum of Arts of the Republic of Kazakhstan and had her solo exhibitions in Almaty and Astana, Kazakhstan. She also participated in international shows in Moscow, Russia, Puerto la Cruz, Venezuela, and Toronto, Canada. When Vera moved to the United States,

she received multiple awards in local juried shows. She also participated in a show at Red Dot/Spectrum, Miami, FL, coinciding with the Miami Basel.

    Vera Smiley currently lives and works in Austin, TX. She owns and manages “Vera Smiley Art Studio,” teaching private and group ceramic classes. She is a member of the Texas Sculpture Society Group and she serves on the board of directors.

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LAST EXHIBITIONS AND AWARDS:

 

  • Mar 2022, “Impressions” personal show. Georgetown Art Center, TX. (coming)

  • Nov 2021, Austin Studio Tour with Circle C Creative show.

  • Feb 2021, “Let’s talk” group exhibition, Downtowner Gallery, Round Rock, TX.

  • Nov 2020, Artist 916 group exhibition, Fort Worth Art Center.

  • Dec 2019, Art Basel Week, Red Dot / Spectrum, Miami, FL

  • Nov 2019, Plein Air Austin and Texas Sculptors Exhibition, The Hive, Bee Cave Arts Foundation.

  • Sept 2019, Umlauf Museum, TSOS exhibition, (Third Place Award Winner), Austin, TX

  • March 2019, ReImagine show. Round Rock, TX

  • November 24, 2018 Personal show at «Paris in a Bite», Austin, TX

  • Apr 27-29, 2018, 26th SculpFest, Round Rock, Texas

  • Apr 22, 2018 Clay Fest, San Antonio, TX

  • Sept 29, 2017 Art Hope State Art Competition, Georgetown (Second Place Award Winner in 3D)

  • July 28, 2017 “Profusion in the Void” Texas Sculptor Group show at Artspace111, Ft. Worth

  • June 25, 2017, Texas Society of Sculptors 10th Annual Show, Georgetown, Texas, USA (Honorable Mention Award Winner)

  • June 2 2017, 24th Annual Juried Show, San Antonio Potters Guild.

  • Apr 21-May 31 2017, Dimensions – 3D, Art Space Gallery, Round Rock (First Place Winner)

  • May 5-7, 2017, 25th SculpFest, at Oasis, Austin, Texas, USA

  • April-June 2017, ArtAscent, Collor Orange, profound exhibition of International Art (Distinguished Artist of the ArtAscent)

  • Mar 4, 2017, “Imagine” exhibition, Round Rock Art center, Round Rock,Texas, USA ( First Place Award Winner in 3D )

  • Nov 26, 2016, The San Antonio Clay Arts Festival, San Antonio, Texas, USA

  • Nov 4, 2016, ClayHouston Member show, Tea+Art Gallery, Houston, Texas, USA

  • Oct 8, 2016, BOMBAY SAPPHIRE Artisan Series, USA (Finalist)

  • Oct 1, 2016, Art Hop Statewide Arts Competition, Art Center, Georgetown, Texas, USA

  • June 26, 2016, TSOS 9th Annual Show, Georgetown, Texas, USA (Second Place Award Winner)

  • Oct 28, 2015, Personal Exhibition “Telling Stories”, Has Sanat Gallery, Astana, Kazakhstan

  • Apr 16, 2015, Personal Exhibition “Fear of My Desires”, Clay House Gallery, Almaty, Kazakhstan

  • Oct 14, 2014, Annual Fall Salon “Ceramic Art”, Has Sanat Gallery, Astana, Kazakhstan

  • Jan 20, 2013, Guest show at Central Plaza Gallery, Puerto La Cruz, Venezuela

  • Dec 9, 2012, Ceramic show “Las Villas”, Puerto La Cruz, Venezuela

  • May 12, 2011 and May 2012, Annual ceramic shows, Center "Anzoateki", Puerto La Cruz, Venezuela

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