Studio Practices

My notion of ‘studio’ is to expand beyond my painting studio; embracing other forms of research, collaboration and ‘making’ in landscapes of personal significance, and in abandoned buildings both rurally and in cities. Residencies provide an ideal vehicle to keep my painting practice evolving and continually appropriate to my themes.

Painting Studios

My painting studio is for me a home or central space where I can be immersed in the influences that shape my practice. I will invite artists to come and work with me for discourse and most recently I have been working with my son to make paintings together. Images of recent studio in Newlyn and Brighton.

Residency Practice

These images represent spaces where I have been able to create in a far more immediate and dynamic way, responding to new stimulus in unfamiliar ways. Residencies are an ideal environment to collaborate with multimedia artists and create spontaneous art events. Curated projects involve me working in both gallery and alternative venues in a similar untamed approach to research.

Research in Landscapes

Going into landscapes to make means I can explore ideas around myth, ritual, nature and ecology. Performance, film, photography and assemblages have been the best ways to interact with specific sites of personal meaning, often generating ideas for the studio. Ireland, Greece and Penwith in Cornwall have continued to fascinate and inspire me.

'Vigil' private performance 19992, Overnite burial of myslef, whilst fire overhead and Friend keeps Vigil with scaffold poles to breath under 2 ft soil and trapdoor
'Ageing God' during Glasgow residency collaborative project with Richard Ballinger
From 'Palmer White, The Revanants' collaborative project with Paul Becker, photo by my daughter Sethe Smith
From 'Palmer White, The Revanants' collaborative project with Paul Becker Film still
From 'Palmer White, The Revanants' collaborative project with Paul Becker Film still
From 'Possessed Possessions' TaaP collective performance and Film, Penwith
Jesse Leroy Smith and Caleb Smith 'Shaman on a burnt out motorbike'
Film still from acting in Broncos House by Mark Jenkin
Jesse Leroy Smith and Bernard Irwin and Guest artists 'Vigil' photo by James Hankey
Jesse Leroy Smith and Paul Becker Revenant, Prussia Cove from 'Palmer White - the Revenants'
Research in Abandoned Sites
The curated projects have been shaped by responding to the psycho-geography of abandoned sites. These provocative and challenging environments become a catalyst for multimedia shows. I am currently developing themes involved in our ‘Unstable Monuments‘ project. This is to be held next in the grand regency court building in Bristol.
Collage in Greece, abandoned hotel
Collage in Greece, abandoned hotel
Making sculptures in Greece, with Caleb and Sethe Smith
From the Forgiving head performance at 'Darkrooms' at CAST, Helston curated by Jesse Leroy Smith
From 'Suspended Sentences', 'Under the Influence' paintings, Emlow playing
From the 'Under the influence' events at CAST, Helston curated by Jesse Leroy Smith, photos by James Hankey
From 'Forest Requeim' window installation at Ex car showroom, Penzance
From 'Forest Requeim' window installation at Ex car showroom, Penzance
From 'Forest requeim' window installation at Ex car showroom, Penzance
From window installation at Ex car showroom, Penzance
From 'Unstable Monuments' project at Bridewell courts Bristol Film fotoage of Colusten statue and Tracing paper portraits
Working on 'Unstable Monuments' project at Bridewell courts Bristol Writing by Matthew Benington