Born in 1929 in St. Louis, Missouri, Shirley Thomson-Smith's art has been deeply and profoundly influenced by the experience of living in Durango, Colorado and traveling through New Mexico. There Shirley Thomson-Smith observed the powerful tradition of Native Americans and was particularly drawn to the strength, character and symbolic role of Native American women.
Of the Navajo women, who Shirley Thomson-Smith got to know and respect, she has this to say: "I was fascinated by those women. Their message was a non-verbal transmission of thought, feeling and strength. I've always admired Mexican, African and Indian art. My figures are a synthesis of all these."
Dispensing with anatomical detail, Thomson-Smith enhances the textural quality and strength of her figures by transforming raw materials into gently flowing human forms. She works without a model or preliminary sketches; the final form evolves from her intuitive response to the material. Bronzes are cast by the lost-wax method at a nearby foundry, where she oversees the finishing touches: cleaning, chasing (embossing on metal) and applying of patina.
Thomson-Smith studied art at the University of Oklahoma and Oklahoma City University. Thomson-Smith is a lifetime member of the Oklahoma Sculptor society, National Academy of Western Art, Member of the National Sculpture Society and founding member of American Women Artists and the West. Thomson-Smith's work is represented in galleries and collections across America, and she is a participant and award winner of both national and regional competitions.
I Think I Can Fly, 7.5" x 10" x 6.5", Bronze, $2,150
