Biography

Wendy Smith - Education

2021–23: MA Fine Art
Brighton University
2002: Post Graduate Diploma Garden Design
Pickard School of Garden Design, Museum of Garden History, London
1995-98: BA (Hons) Fine Art Sculpture
Central St Martin's College of Art & Design, London
1997: Study Placement
Facultat de Belles Artes, Barcelona


Wendy Smith - Selected Group Exhibitions

2025: Raft Studios
Coastal Currents Open Studios, St Leonards on Sea

En Plein Air Exhibition
Rye Art Gallery, Rye, East Sussex

Rye Society of Arts Summer Exhibition
Rye, East Sussex

Shift & Drift Exhibition
Sun Pier House, Chatham, Kent

Stories from Deep Time Exhibition
Hastings Museum and Art Gallery

SoCo New Works Exhibition
Hastings Arts Forum, St Leonards on Sea

2024: The Garden Room
Coastal Currents, Hastings Arts Festival

Brighton Art Fair
Brighton Dome Corn Exchange

En Plein Air Exhibition
Rye Art Gallery, Rye

Untitled Art Fair
Chelsea Town Hall, London

2024/2023: SoCo Open IV & III Exhibitions
Hastings Arts Forum, St Leonards on Sea

2023: Raft Studios
Coastal Currents Arts Festival, St Leonards on Sea

Edges & Elements Exhibition
Two-person exhibition, Hastings Arts Forum, St Leonards on Sea

The New Masters
Bermondsey Project Space, London

MA Fine Art Final Exhibition
University of Brighton, Grand Parade, Brighton

Vitrine ‘Showcase’ Exhibition
Grand Parade, Brighton

SoCo Artists
Hastings Arts Forum, St Leonards on Sea

2022: SoCo Open Exhibitions
Hastings Arts Forum, St Leonards on Sea

'Untethered’
Edward Street Gallery, Brighton

MA Interim Exhibition
Grand Parade, Brightond
2021-22: The Garden Room
Coastal Currents, Hastings
2021: SoCo 'Small Picture Show'
Hastings Arts Forum, St Leonards on Sea
2019: The Garden Room
Coastal Currents, Hastings

RX19 Exhibition
SoCo Arts, The Stade, Hastings

The Control Tower Gallery
Kingshill, West Malling
2018: Tutti Frutti
HAF, Hastings

Harmonious Life & Nature
Sheraton Hotel, New Delhi

2017-18: Miscellany 3 & 4
SoCo Artists, HAF, Hastings

2017: For the Love of Lempa
Cyprus School of Art, Lempa, Paphos

Rye Society of Arts Summer Exhibition
Rye

2016: Mitsui Sumitomo
Lloyd’s London

RSM
Gatwick, Crawley (June Frickleton Arts)

2015-16: Coastal Currents
St Leonards on Sea & OB Hastings

2015: Bohemia Club
St Leonards on Sea, East Sussex

AAF
Francis Iles Gallery, Battersea
2014: Arusha Gallery Spring Show
Edinburgh

Manchester Art Fair
Arusha Gallery, Edinburgh
2013-14: Salon International des Metiers d’art
Lens, France, Sponsored by Recreate, Medway Council.

2013: Naked Eye Gallery
Brighton

Paintings in Hospitals Collections
London

White Horses
Whitstable

Liberty HQ Exhibition
Kings Hill, June Frickleton Fine Arts

Francis Iles Gallery Spring Show
Rochester, Kent

Affordable Art Fair
London, Francis Iles Gallery
2012: Brighton Art Fair
Brighton, Sussex

Once I Caught a Fish
Pie Factory Gallery, Margate, Kent

Sarah O’Kane Contemporary Summer Show
Lewes, Sussex

Affordable Art Fair
London. Francis Iles Gallery

2011: Affordable Art Fair
London. Francis Iles Gallery

2010: Camden Art Gallery
London

‘shelf’
Whitstable Biennale, Whitstable

Bluefringe
Eastbourne Arts Festival, East Sussex

‘shelf’
Peckham, London

Affordable Art Fair
London, Francis Iles Gallery
2009: Affordable Art Fair Amsterdam
Castle Arts, Canterbury

Artwave Festival
Lewes, West Sussex

Houseboat Verda & Adur Festival
Shoreham Harbour, West Sussex

Charleston House & Gardens
Firle, West Sussex

Affordable Art Fair
London, Francis Iles Gallery, Rochester, Kent
2008: Paintings in Hospitals
London

Open House, Sanskriti Foundation
New Delhi, India

‘Cracking Spot’
Xross-Polynation & NRI Institute, Studio Vasant39, New Delhi, India

‘Cracking Spot’
British High Commissioner’s Residence, New Delhi, India

2006: ‘Now & Then’
New Art Centre Gallery, Chatham, Kent

2004: Hampton Court Palace Flower Show, London
Royal Horticultural Society Silver Medal Award Winner. Co-designed & produced an art garden entitled ‘Looking at the World through Rose-Tinted Spectacles’

2003: The Houseboat Verda
Shoreham Harbour, West Sussex

2002: Kent County Show
Detling, Kent. Co-designed & produced two art gardens.


Wendy Smith - Selected Solo Exhibitions

2017: Shell & Shingle
Studio 4 Frames, St Leonards-on-Sea
2016: Earthly Delights
HAF, St Leonards-on-Sea
2015: Hotel Bollaert
Lens, France (Sponsored by Recreate, Medway Council)
2013: 'Reflective Moments'
Elixir Gallery, Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Woolwich, London
2011: Seaflowers Exhibition'
Rochester Art Gallery, Rochester, Kent Sponsored by Medway Council & Arts Council England
2009: 'In the Pink'
Elixir Gallery, Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Woolwich, London
2008: 'Indian Pink'
Nucleus Gallery, New Art Centre, Chatham, Kent. Funded by Arts Council England Awards to Artists

'Blooms & Plumes'
Great Dixter House and Gardens, Northiam, East Sussex

'Indian Pink'
British High Commissioners’ Residence, New Delhi, India. Funded by Arts Council England Awards to Artists. Also produced two large planting plans for the residence garden.
2007: 'A Year of Photography at Great Dixter'
Princess Royal University Hospital, Bromley, Kent

'Indian Summer'
Jenny Granger Gallery, Whitstable, Kent
2006: 'Namaste'
The Gallery, Integrated Services Programme, Sittingbourne, Kent
2003: 'Inside Out'
The Gallery, Integrated Services Programme, Sittingbourne, Kent
2001: 'Down the Garden Path'
Hadlow Horticultural College, Hadlow, Kent
Funded by Year of the Artist 2000 Awards to Artists
1999: BBC Good Food and Wine Show, London
1998: BBC Good Food and Wine Show, Oslo, Norway

Wendy Smith - Community Arts Projects

2023: Celebrating David Hockney
I ran a Hockney inspired art class at Azur Marina Pavillion, sponsored by Sky Arts.
2017: Energise Sussex Coast (Renewable Energy Company)
Delivered school workshops as part of 1066 energy campaign & awareness.
2016-17: Dartford Artsmark Town, Icon Theatre
Project in partnership with Dartford Borough Council & Royal Opera House Bridge to transform school children & young people’s experience of arts & culture.
2016: Wetherspoons Commission
Thomas Waghorn, Chatham, Kent

Haywards Heath Community Art Trail
West Sussex (June Frickleton Arts)

Big Heart Charity Auction
St Mary in Castle, Hastings & Brighton Dome
2015: Gravesham in Bloom, Gravesend, Kent
Commission with LV21 project. Awarded Silver Gilt.

St Georges Summer School, Gravesend
Commission with Aim4 project.
2014: Animate Arts & Kent County Council
Queens Baton Relay for Commonwealth Games, Glasgow

Blenheim Palace Flower Show
Withy Willow & Blackbird Academy (Awarded Gold)

Wendy Smith - Residencies and Awards

2024 Prospect Cottage Residency, Dungeness
Research & development at Derek Jarman’s house & garden. Organised and sponsored by Creative Folkstone
2023 MA Residency
Edward Street Gallery, Brighton
2017-19 Residency at Cyprus College of Art
Lemba, Paphos
2011 The Blue House Residency, Karnataka, South India
A self-initiated residency program to explore ritual & pattern, the daily life of the local fishing village, & the visiting pilgrims who offer their blessings to the sea. Finalised with exhibition, ‘Seaflowers’, Rochester, Kent, sponsored by Medway Council & ACE.
2007-08 Sanskriti Foundation, New Delhi, India
Funded by Arts Council England Awards to Artists. Self-initiated project to produce a body of artwork as a response to street life in Delhi. Also worked with women in micro-textile industries, finalising with exhibition in India, Apr. 2008. Organised workshops with ‘HOPE’ project for underprivileged children. Finalised with exhibitions at the British High Commissioner’s Residence, New Delhi, India & the Nucleus Gallery, Chatham, Kent, 2008.
2006-07 Great Dixter House & Gardens, Northiam, East Sussex
Studied & recorded colours of the flamboyant, exuberant planting schemes from Nov. 2006 to Oct. 2007. Exhibited in The Benenden Hall, Aug. 2008.
2005-06 Sanskriti Foundation, New Delhi, India
Creative research project exploring Indian culture, materials, textiles, pattern, & colour. Organised workshops with ‘Mobile Creche’ organisation for underprivileged children.
2002-04 Integrated Services Programme (ISP), Teynham, Kent
Set up a permanent studio at ISP, enabling children with emotional & behavioural issues to interact daily with an artist & creative process.
2000-01 Hadlow Horticultural College, Hadlow, Kent
Scheme to promote creativity within the community. Funded by South East Arts, Year of the Artist 2000 Awards Scheme.

Wendy Smith - Employment

2014-21: Visiting Lecturer, Creative Processes & Digital Arts
University of Greenwich, Stockwell Street, London
2000-14: Visiting Lecturer, Architecture & Construction
University of Greenwich, Avery Hill, London
2009-14: Creative Practitioner
Future Creative, Deal, Kent Combined education & creativity in schools, focusing on landscape & mural design. Team leader for NCS summer school.
2004-10: Visiting Artist
Medway Children’s University, Chatham Historic Dockyard, Kent


Wendy Smith - Collections

To Date: British High Commissioner’s Residence, Delhi, India
Great Dixter House & Gardens, East Sussex
The Late Jon Norton, Sanskriti Foundation, Delhi, India
The Gingerbread House, London
Beauty Nepal Adventure, Pokhara, Nepal
Indian Chic, Delhi, India
Paintings in Hospitals, London
The Houseboat Centre, Kent
Private collections in UK, USA, Europe, Nepal, India & Singapore