“I let my space go at the Goat Farm, and then Katie [Jones] got this [Buckhead Art & Company Studio] space in September of last year and I’ve been working out of here ever since. Art wise it’s been better for me here because I live right around the corner, and it’s a different type of energy.
It seems like a lot of artistic things are happening around town, and people are paying more attention to the arts. When Buckhead Art opened a couple of years ago I was seeking a home to showcase my work in, and it just kind of worked out. It’s a blessing really because I’m here every day, pretty much all day if I’m not out of town. It lends me a lot more flexibility to come in here and just bury myself into my work and let the time fly by.
Watching people going back and forth and popping in, that’s a whole different type of energy that I didn’t have at the Goat Farm. I look forward to it, especially during the weekends when it’s nice out. You can prop the door open and people just come in and meander around and see what you’re up to. People usually see just what’s on the wall, but they don’t see the work and the process that goes behind it. When people stop in and they watch and start asking questions about my methods and techniques and motivation, it’s always good to talk to them. I think it adds a certain dynamic and a certain value to the artist.
I always knew in my core that I was an artist, but what really propelled me into art was my late girlfriend. We met in 2010 and she took me to New York City for the first time in 2011. Just walking around with a camera, and New York is such a busy place. From there I was approached to do [a show for] Atlanta Celebrates Photography for a gallery in Brookhaven. I had no work, and she said, “what about your images from New York?” The lightbulb went off, and I started creating what I call photo fusion- a lot of mixed media with my images from New York. And that started my whole art career and my passion from there. I always tell people that if it wasn’t for her I wouldn’t be where I am right now. She passed in January of 2015, but she was the catalyst for everything. And here I am all these years later. I’m an artist. That’s who I am and who I’ve always been. Once I accepted that, things really started to figure themselves out with my work and my creative influences.”
Anderson Smith is a multi media artist, and an artist in residence at Buckhead Art & Company.
