By contemplating the arrival of her six-month-old baby, a recent fine arts BYU graduate got inspiration to depict her motherhood in her latest abstract series, "Proclaim," a representation of her family's values.

"No matter how our beliefs concerning God may differ, we each have an eternal role and destiny," said Rachel Mary Smith, creator of "Proclaim." "Each of us has the responsibility to determine our own individual purpose, and how we can best fulfill that purpose and influence mankind."

"Proclaim," was on display in the first floor auditorium gallery of the Harold B. Lee Library last month. "Birth," "Embryo," Fortitude," "Heritage" and "Order," are five of the 13 different pieces exhibited, each representing one of the artist's family values. Her artwork is also a way to give back to society.

"She is choosing to give back and improve the community that helped her on her path," said Erik Harker, Smith's former coworker and a senior majoring in art history. "To form an art show specifically to honor not only her alma mater, but also her new life as a mother, something that is sacred to this school."

Her artistic formation started from an early age.

Art was something attractive to her since elementary school. In sixth grade, she won a local art contest and realized how good she could be in art if she pursued her interest during following years, Smith said.

Smith said her huge accomplishment at BYU was to get into the BFA program and graduating from it.

"That really helped me to get started," Smith said. "It gave me an idea of how a whole gallery works and what I have to do to create series of paintings."

As part of the BYU fine arts program, during her junior year Smith spent four months in Paris.

Her visits to the Louvre Museum exposed her to the most important pieces of art every day.

In the museum the sculpture of the woman with missing arms, huge wings and finely sculpted ropes intrigued her. "Winged Victory" shows a mastery of form and movement and is admired for its naturalism and for the fine rendering of the draped garments, Smith said.

Her experience in France, combined with her BYU experience, inspired her to do abstract paintings.

"When I was taking art classes all through elementary and high school, I used to think art was realistic painting," Smith said. "I started taking art history and art technique classes here (at BYU) and I started discovering what I could accomplish by abstract paintings."

Smith's work has gone into a definite level of refinement, Harker said.

"Rhapsody", Smith's first series, was created in winter 2007 as part of her final senior project. The series is a visual interpretation of the song "Rhapsody in Blue" by George Gershwin

"Her earlier work has a grittier feel to it with a Kandinsky-like anxiety and movement." Harker said. "'Proclaim' on the other hand feels more contemplative, conveying a sense that one has arrived."

While not a full painter, Smith continued her interest in art by keeping a 5-inch art journal since she left BYU.

Everyday events in her life inspired her to create those pieces of art. "Vignettes," her second series, displays several of those paintings.

Smith's older sister, Ruth Nay, said motherhood refined Smith's previous ideas about how to print her latest series, "Proclaim." She worked on the series before she became a mother, but the arrival of her baby helped her to fully understand her eternal role, Nay said.



Copyright Brigham Young University 12 Nov 2008