Clay Artist, Potter
Painter, Educator
Nova Scotia, Canada
Carol Smeraldo Pottery © 2011 All Rights reserved
Carol Smeraldo Pottery
Nova Scotia
Phone: 902- 434-1336
Web Site Re-Design
By One Off Studio
RAKU
Item numbers ending with “R”
“A SYMBOLIC JOURNEY” Item numbers starting with SJ and AG
PORCELAIN AND TRANSLUCENT PORCELAIN Item numbers 1001 onward
PASTEL PAINTINGS
Item numbers starting with “P”
ALLOW TIME FOR THE SLIDE SHOWS TO LOAD
Carol’s Story continued
Carol Smeraldo has drawn since childhood, having been influenced by large reproductions of paintings by Renoir and Sargeant in her parents’ home. Lacking a supportive environment in art classes in school, she turned to making 3 dimensional work using a variety of different materials at home. After high school her parents moved to Provincetown, a well known art colony and tourist haven on Cape Cod, MA. In the summer between university sessions, Carol studied painting under the well known colourist, Henry Hensche from whom she received her first real encouragement.
Carol’s abilities still remained somewhat dormant Loving to practice art making but not having found the medium that really “grabbed” her while attending Rhode Island School of Design, she continued to pursue a degree in Education. Even as a school teacher, art practice continually beckoned to her so when Carol began to teach art to primary through grade 8, she returned to art school, Massachusetts College of Art, where she discovered her passion for clay.
Smeraldo’s sketch books are full of drawings of pots and ideas. She often makes a series of drawings around an idea and sometimes draws a project in detail. Carol loves to draw.
PA-ABSTRACT
PBC-BRITISH COLUMBIA
Figure drawing classes have been a gift to her artistic development, where she was also introduced to pastels. At Nova Scotia College of Art and Design University, Smeraldo learned more about colour. Now that she has discovered her passion for pastels, she can sculpt on paper with a portable, direct and tactile medium. She can combine her love of drawing and colour in paintings. Wherever Carol travels she visits potters and galleries and always takes her pastels with her since she can’t take clay!
“Over the past 10 years, my love of drawing and painting has in some mysterious ways influenced my clay work. I have often been inspired at live concerts to make quick ink sketches which seemed to be driven by the music. When I discovered pastels, I was excited about translating these abstract sketches into colourful paintings. These early pastel paintings were the beginnings of A Symbolic Journey in Porcelain, Part One”.
ISmeraldo started painting on dark paper in preparation for A Symbolic Journey in Porcelain, Part Two.
In 2011, a chance meeting and conversation with an abstract painter at the opening of `Paris Salon` at the Craig Gallery in Dartmouth, NS started a new direction. Smeraldo realized that her pots could now inspire her abstract paintings!! What a reversal. How ironic is that!!
“I counsel my students to DRAW, DRAW, DRAW. As all pianists practice the scales, all artists including potters need to practice their scales-figure drawing. There is nothing like it and no substitute for learning to See as an artist needs to See.
All of the paintings are soft pastel on paper.
Photos by Artist unless otherwise noted
PC-CALGARY, PI-ITALY, PNS-NOVA SCOTIA
PNZ-NEW ZEALAND
PSL-STILL LIFE
PF-FIGURES,nudes