BIOGRAPHY

Born in Western New York, Frances Smokowski has primarily been recognized for her contributions to the field of Art Therapy. Her work with neurodiverse populations began in the late 80’s at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago and continues today, though the format of her offerings has changed. In 2008, she took a leave from the field to pursue additional training in historic painting and drawing techniques in NY City. Since securing her MFA in 2010, Ms. Smokowski has built a thriving private practice providing individualized art instruction for students of all ages, including those with exceptional giftedness and/or special needs.

Throughout her career as a facilitator Frances has maintained a vital, and highly personal, studio practice. Her works have for long periods been kept private and off the market. At this time she is building a presence as a NY based artist on the Instagram platform which includes a measured release of works from her art archives.
​ @francessmokowski is the address of her feed.

Over the course of four decades she has produced work in series, focusing from time to time on analog collage, digital photography, poetic verse, mixed media works in 2D and 3D, fiber arts, drawing and painting. She gives herself permission to create “as needed” and in situ, informed by her surroundings and integrating environmental influences from her many strategic moves. Smokowski’s art has been exhibited regionally in Buffalo, NY,  Chicago, IL and Washington, DC before her transplanting to NYC and exhibiting in “The City”. Her works have also been shown internationally through cultural exchanges in Germany, India and China.

Currently residing in the Hudson River Valley, Ms. Smokowski continues to show selectively, and to curate, most recently earning recognition in Fine Art Connoisseur Magazine. Her works are held by numerous individuals across the country, including by esteemed art collectors in the Megalopolis.

For more information on Frances’ impactful methods as a teaching artist, please visit NYarttutor.com

To survey a portfolio of recent work, please click the home page button.

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Statement

My organic form sense has largely been with me since childhood.  Science classes were one of the few places where drawing was allowed in a grade school that had no art instruction in the curriculum and little understanding of art being a way to focus attention, and intention, visually. Across my formative years, my Father’s career evolved through the field of chemistry into Nuclear Physics. As he studied and grew professionally he shared what he could with his offspring, his captive audience for practice presentations on super 8 film. My love of the altered visual fields provided by optical tools, like Dad’s microscope, comes from paternal teaching moments; one on one those were times of pure wonder as he demonstrated and explained everything from magnetism to evaporation.  But, the importance of biological references in my work runs deeper.

Throughout my life I have had to adapt to living with hypersensitivities, serious allergies, complex recurring illnesses and even tragic injuries. Awareness of my body as vulnerable and often intrinsically challenged has afforded me many opportunities to explore first hand art as an effective mediator, a healing modality. This body I inhabit has demanded more attention and present awareness than I have had at times. And, art making has proven to be one of the most effective ways of keeping myself in tune with my biological as well as emotional needs. As an intermittently sickly child I marveled at the microscopic Universe, hoping that somewhere between cilia and flagella, phloem and xylem, I could imagine a powerfully renewable force at work, day and night, on my behalf. Science let me understand I have heroes within. Later I learned how consciousness influences how cellular adventures play out.

Biological Abstraction affords me the great pleasure of creating rhythms and transitional passages, phenomenological situations and explicit invocations. Envisioning working systems and positive proliferations is my pathway to recreating or creating anew such functionality. It’s my attunement to larger truths and my call for Spiritual assistance. Homeostasis is a striving, which necessitates ongoing responsiveness. Drawing, especially, and painting, serve me most effectively, but in various ways other media have proven situationally beneficial, too. But, across my lifeline, always, it is biological abstraction that affords me the emotional distance and freedom to create, especially when working in public. Organic abstraction is privacy, a coded world I can reveal when and how I choose. It allows me to dwell in the wordless sanctuary of right brain activities without intruding cultural narratives, upsetting flashbacks or unsolicited external judgments. It’s where forms clarify themselves and get strengthened.

Here on francessmokowski.com I am highlighting an array of biomorphic works that have proven to be highly effective in catalyzing positive state changes in me. I believe they may be useful for viewers seeking to establish and sustain a healing mindset, too. The Global pandemic has been challenging on so many levels; extra scary for individuals with “pre-existing conditions” and longstanding vulnerabilities, like me. I am specifically launching works which assisted me in post concussion recovery, heavy metals detox and abatement of an autoimmune disorder which was said to be irreversible as well as degenerative.

The images on this website are best understood as focusing tools, as invocations of wholeness, as way pointers toward wellness and thriving. May they bring inspiration, and energetic support to those who resonate with phenomenological wonder and well Being.

PERMANANT COLLECTIONS
2022 The College of Psychic Studies, London, England
2022 The Collection of Mediumistic Art, Munch, Germany
1985 Albright Knox Art Gallery, Artist’s Book collection, Buffalo, NY
 
SOLO EXHIBITIONS
2004 PHOTO-Synthesis Collage, Takoma Park Metaphysical Chapel, Silver Spring, MD
1985 Construct, the Urban Art Project at Theater Place, Buffalo, NY
 
GROUP EXHIBITIONS
2023 Edgewalkers, Cavin-Morris Gallery, New York, NY
         Strata, Dolce Valvo Gallery, Niagara Falls, NY
2022 Creative Spirits, The College of Psychic Studies, London, England
2011 First Impressions & Formative Experience, Medialia Gallery, New York, NY
2010 Conceptually Sound, Medialia Gallery, New York, NY
         You Naughty Children, MFA Thesis Exhibition, NY Academy of Art, New York, NY
2007 Wider Circle of Friends, the Pen & Brush, New York, NY
         Roles, Rites and Rituals, the Pen & Brush, New York, NY
2006 Black & White: Art in the Absence of Color, the Capitol Arts Network, Bethesda, MD, 9/06
2005 Bits & Pieces, the Newark Arts Alliance, Newark, DE
2004 Emerging Presence, Takoma Park Metaphysical Chapel, Silver Spring, MD
2002 Panoply, Gallery in the Square, Pittsburgh, PA
         Art in a Changed World, Capitol Normal University, Beijing, China
         1st China International, Academy of Arts&Design, Tsinghua University Gallery, Beijing, China
         Art in a Changed World, Lalit Kala Akademi (Arts Academy), New Delhi, India
         Expressions of Culture, the Cultural Center of the Russian Embassy, Washington, DC
2001 International Artists, Museum of Contemporary Art, (Georgetown) Washington, DC
2000 Speechless (installation), ART-O-Matic 2000, Washington, DC
         Images of Humanity, Marlboro Gallery, Prince George's Community College, Largo, MD
         Back from India, Gallery 505, Washington, DC
         Relationship of Body & Self, Cooper Street Gallery, Memphis, TN
1999 Bridging 2 Millennia, Lalit Kala Akademi (Arts Academy), New Delhi, India
         Biennial Staff ART Exhibition, National Gallery of Art, Washington, DC
         7th Street International, Gallery 505, Washington, DC
         Matters at Hand, ART-O-Matic, Washington, DC
1990 Mixed Media, Judith Racht Gallery, Harbart, MI
1989 Small Works, Goldome Bank Corporate Gallery, Buffalo, NY
1987 Paper Products, School of the Art Institute of Chicago, Chicago, IL
         Collage, Assemblage, Frottage, Adams Memorial Gallery, Dunkirk, NY
1986 Graduate Student Exhibition, Bethune Gallery, State University of NY at Buffalo, Buffalo, NY
         Collage, Construction, Assemblage, Upton Gallery, State University College at Buffalo, NY
         Sister City Exchange of Outstanding Student Design Work, American Arts Exchange Program,
Facconchschule Dortmund, Germany
         Sister City Exchange of Outstanding Student Design Work, American Arts Exchange Program,
                        Upton Gallery, State University College at Buffalo, Buffalo, NY, 7/86
1985Graduate Works, Bethune Gallery, State University of New York at Buffalo, Buffalo, NY
         Paper Works, Upton Hall Gallery, State University College at Buffalo, Buffalo, NY
         Found Material Compositions, President's Mansion, State University College at Buffalo, NY
         Student Design Work, Upton Hall Gallery, State University College at Buffalo, Buffalo, NY
1984 Bookwork, Upton Hall Student Gallery, State University College at Buffalo, Buffalo, NY
 
BIBLIOGRAPHY
“Alchemical Reverberations”, Journal of the American Art Therapy Association, Vol.39, #1, 2022
(Re)clamation”, Feature Article, (Re) Ideas Journal, online, fall 2021
“Healing Through Art”, Patient Point video, Primary Care office feature, Nationally, 2020-2025
“Education:at the Met”, Thalo Magazine, featured as a copyist, Metropolitan Museum of Art, 2011
“Off the Wall”, editor: Peter Trippi, p.66, Fine Art Connoisseur Magazine, summer issue 2011
 “Tradition as Avante-Garde”, Dr. Donald Kuspit, May 2010, Essay,
You Naughty Children: MFA Thesis Exhibition Catalog, NY Academy of Art, NY, NY
“Edward M. Gomez: a Critic’s Notebook”, University of Massachusetts, Dartmouth, April 22, 2010
 
SPECIAL PROJECTS
2010 Independent Copyist, the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
 
ARTIST BOOKS
1983 Bookwork, the Library of the State University College at Buffalo, NY
        
CURATING
2011 First Impressions & Formative Experience, Medialia Gallery, New York, NY
2009 Suite Anticipation, 2nd floor exhibition hallway, NY Academy of Art, New York, NY
2005 Peace through Art, Takoma Park Metaphysical Chapel, Silver Spring, MD
2005 Equilibrium: paintings by MJ Kehne, Takoma Park Metaphysical Chapel, Silver Spring, MD
2004 Photo-Synthesis, Takoma Park Metaphysical Chapel, Silver Spring, MD
2004 Emerging Presence, Takoma Park Metaphysical Chapel, Silver Spring, MD
2000 Speechless (installation), ART-O-Matic 2000, Washington, DC
1999 Maters at Hand, ART-O-Matic, Washington, DC
1986 Collage, Construction, Assemblage, Upton Gallery, State University College at Buffalo, NY
1985 Construct, the Urban Art Project at Theater Place, Buffalo, NY
 
Education
Masters of Fine Art, 2010, The New York Academy of Art, New York, NY, USA
Masters of Art in Art Therapy, 1991, The School of the Art Institute of Chicago, Chicago, IL
40+ Graduate credits in Fine Art, 1985-87 State University of New York, Buffalo, NY
Bachelor of Fine Art, 1985, Summa Cum Laude, Painting and Drawing, minor in Art History
State University College at Buffalo, NY
Bachelor of Science, 1985, Summa Cum Laude, in Graphic Design/Illustration
State University of New York at Buffalo, NY
 
Awards
2007 Outstanding Merit Award in Collage/Mixed Media, the Pen and Brush, New York, NY
1985-1987 MFA scholarship & Graduate Teaching Assistant, State University of NY, Buffalo, NY
1985 the Dean's Award for Excellence: Fine Arts, State University College at Buffalo, Buffalo, NY
1985 the Dean's Award for Excellence: Graphic Design, State University College at Buffalo, NY
 
Scholarships & GRANTS
1990-1991 Merit Scholarship, School of the Art Institute of Chicago, Chicago, IL
1990 fall-1991 spring Graduate Assistant, School of the Art Institute of Chicago, Chicago, IL
1989-1990 Merit Scholarship, School of the Art Institute of Chicago, Chicago, IL
1990 spring semester Graduate Assistant, School of the Art Institute of Chicago, Chicago, IL
1987-1988 Merit Scholarship, School of the Art Institute of Chicago, Chicago, IL
1986-1987 Teaching Assistantship, State University of New York at Buffalo, Buffalo, NY
1985-1986 Teaching Assistantship, State University of New York at Buffalo, Buffalo, NY
1983 Mini-Grant for the Arts & Humanities, BOOKWORK, State University College at Buffalo, NY
 
 
F. SMOKOWSKI                                                                                                   Updated 3/31/23