Cherie Smith - United Kingdom
About the artist
Member since the very beginning
My first memory as an artist was at a very early age of 4 years old - I won a competition for ‘the best painting’ which was of a daffodil flower in an exhibition. From then on I have always been extremely creative from painting pictures to making theatrical costumes and at my lower and comprehensive school my work was always displayed.
At 17 I attended Harrow Lodge College of Art & Design in Hornchurch, Essex and I was extremely happy there. I achieved 4 ‘A’ levels with exceptional grades and won a placement at The Central School of Speech and Drama in Swiss Cottage, London. I was looking forward to a buzzing career in the Arts. The course involved an induction into all theatre crafts skills including painting scenery and from mid-first year I worked in the Costume Department. I worked on eight productions performed to the public, designed and directed by professional practitioners.
Although the course was very interesting I felt I should have taken a Fine Art/ Illustration route similar to that of my happy days at Harrow Lodge College, but due to my financial status at that time I was unable to transfer to another college and course. I achieved a HND in Design Interpretation but I did not pursue a career in the Theatre.
Thereafter, every so often, I felt a spark of inspiration, which renewed my enthusiasm to ‘get creative’ once again, and I decided to learn painting with oils. With encouragement from my family and friends I joined the Fairkytes Art Group in Hornchurch to learn oil painting and to develop my own individual personal style. I have dedicated a special room in my house as an area in which I paint in often! It is very tranquil.
Since, I have exhibited at the NEC Birmingham with Hornchurch Fine Art, the Queen’s Theatre and various other venues with great success.
