Published 02/11/2015
Anne Smith is an American painter and illustrator based in London. Her works have been exhibited worldwide and are also represented in a wide range of public and private collections, including the Smithsonian Institution in Washington and the Boston Museum of Fine Arts.
Although Smith has an MFA in Ceramics, she currently specialises in playful and colourful illustrations, maps and book covers for a broad range of notable clients.
London Tourist Route Map, 2012
What is your earliest memory of an artwork and who was it by?
A portrait that my German great-grandmother painted of her sister Melita. It had a very strong presence in our home.
What is your favourite time of day to be in your studio?
Morning has the best light; Sunday afternoons it is still and quiet.
 |  | |
| Space Age Interior, 2013 | Amsterdam Interior, 2013 |
Talk us through a day in the life of Anne Smith - What does a day in your life look like?
On a good day, after taking a long morning walk along the Thames, I clear the decks of admin and other immediate demands so that ideally, by lunchtime I can settle into painting. I find I need a sense of open-ended time to be able to concentrate.
How would you sum up your practice in 5 words?
Honed, prolific, multifaceted, well-travelled, fun.
What’s your most useful tool?
I switch between using Photoshop and fine sable brushes.
 |  | |
| Citron, 2005 | Blue & White Cups, 2010 |
You have a background in ceramics. How does this inform your illustrative practice?
My training as a potter provided me with a strong work ethic and an appreciation for how materials and processes are integral to what you make. I like to produce multiples within a series, no doubt an influence from years spent making repetitious forms on the wheel.
You have recently travelled to India. What did you learn there, and how will you use these new skills to collaborate with other artists?
My eyes gobbled up as much as they could in a short period of time. I have a keen interest in Indo-Persian miniature painting and seeing these works inside the culture that produced them deepened my appreciation. I am studying traditional painting methods and techniques and had the pleasure of visiting one of my teachers, Ajay Sharma in his studio - what a thrill! We will continue to work together but I do not yet know how that will manifest.
 |  | |
| Travel Wrap, 2008 | Garden Wrap, 2008 |
You have been commissioned by a number of fantastic clients. How do you find working to commission and do you find it pushes your work in new directions?
I really enjoy the process of collaboration and yes, on several occasions my work has been sent in new directions thanks to the imaginative vision of my clients. I love how the limits of an assignment can define new territory. My most successful projects are with clients who have a clear sense of what they want, who can see how my work will fit to theirs.
What convinced you to join Bridgeman Studio for licensing, and what are your hopes for working as a Bridgeman Studio artist?
After a long chat with Lucy Innes Williams, I knew my work would be in good hands. Bridgeman are really proactive for their artists. I will, of course, hope for great things.
What would you most like to see your images licensed for?
Fine porcelain, wallpaper, textiles and perhaps other opportunities that I am not yet aware of.
 |  | |
| South America Map, 2008 | Mexico Map, 2009 |
If you could pick 5 artists, dead or alive, to have dinner with who would they be and why?
I would have:
- A master painter from the Mughal Court of Jangahir, such as Mansur or Bishan - to see what kind of person would be capable of painting such impossibly, beautiful works. I would also take the opportunity to ask a few technical questions.
- William Blake - because of his pure, amplified soul.
- Illustrator Maira Kalman - because she is smart AND wacky, and has a broad range of interests. She also wears great hats...
- Columbian artist Jose Antonio Suarez Londono - because I am curious to know more about his eccentric drawing practice.
- David Shrigley - because he never fails to make me laugh.
See all of Anne Smith's works available for licensing here
