Hand painted recycled door depicting artist Frida Kahlo.
Painting a mural at Atlas Hostel, Las Palmas, Gran Canaria, Spain.
Drawing a chalk turtle at Corn Hill Arts Fest, Rochester NY.
In front of painted garden shed at 490 Farmers Community Garden, Rochester NY.
Chloe Smith (she/her) is a muralist & visual artist based in Rochester, NY. She has been working on a commission basis since 2012, and has created over 70 murals throughout upstate NY, as well as working as a street chalk artist for public & private events. Her work has been featured in Life in the Finger Lakes Magazine, Canvas Rebel Magazine, and Citi Newspaper. Her work combines portraiture & natural themes, drawing from life's meaningful human encounters, the natural world, and passion for gardening & environmental stewardship. She is also the founder of 490 Farmers, a Rochester community garden & urban farm.
Artist Statement:
“My passion is to honor & nurture the potential of forgotten or underappreciated physical spaces through thoughtful artistic attention. A guiding focus throughout my work is restore dignity & vitality to the malnourished urban landscape, to add value and new kinetic energy to forgotten spaces by creating pieces that evolve and take on a life of their own once the seed of revival has been planted in them. This includes painting nature-inspired murals, building a community garden, and working with youth to explore and develop their nascent creativity.”
Exhibitions
ROCHESTER CONTEMPORARY ART CENTER, 32nd Annual Members’ Group Exhibition, Rochester, NY, December 2022- February 2023.
HART GALLERY27, Tre Prospettive (Three Perspectives), Group Show. Brockport NY, April - May, 2021.
MERCANTILE ON MAIN, G.L.A.S.S. (Get Lost & See Something), Group Show. Rochester, NY, March - April 2021.
ART CENTER OF ROCHESTER, Nothing Ethereal About Her (Group Show), Rochester, NY, November - December, 2019.
SERENDIPITY PHOTOS, Rochester, NY. Hungerford Artisans First Friday. March 2019.
FRATELLIS RESTAURANT GALLERY, Avon NY. Solo Show. April-June 2018
ROCHESTER DESIGN CENTER, Rochester, NY. Furniture Exhibition. January 2018.
STUDIORAD, Rochester NY. In-house Artists Shows. Aug 2017-July 2018.
GALLERY R, Rochester, NY. Illustration Senior Thesis Show. May, 2014.
Live Chalk Drawing
WHELPLEY & PAUL OPTICIANS, Webster NY. Live Chalk Paintings. June-August 2019.
ELDERWOOD VILLAGE AT FAIRPORT, Fairport NY. Live Chalk Painting. July 2019.
SENECA PARK ZOO, March on Brain Injury. Live Chalk Painting. September 2018.
ARTS & CRAFTS FESTIVAL, Gates, NY. Live Chalk Painting. September 2017
GREENHOUSE CAFE, Rochester, NY. Roc City Writers Festival. July 2017.
PARK AVE FESTIVAL, Rochester, NY. Live Chalk Painting. August 2017.
CORN HILL ARTS FESTIVAL, Rochester, NY. Live Chalk Painting. July 2017, 2016, 2015.
SARASOTA CHALK FESTIVAL, Venice, FL. Live Chalk Painting. November 2016.
VIA DELL'INDEPENDENZA, Bologna, Italy. Live Chalk Paintings. March-May 2015.
Press
Meet Chloe Smith - CanvasRebel Magazine
Chloe Smith – An Artist Blooms | Life in the Finger Lakes
Chalk art honors healthcare workers on front lines of pandemic (13wham.com)
More emerging artists coming of age in Rochester at the Corn Hill Arts Festival - Talker of the Town
Past Mural Clients
SUNY ESF, City of Rochester, Fruition Seeds, Foodlink, Living 585 Real Estate, Magical Mess LLC, St Marks & St Johns Episcopal Church, TJ Connor Elementary, NYS Dept. of Transportation, Mercantile on Main, University of Rochester, Rochester Museum of Play, Rochester City School District, Okay Beer Co., Burd Physical Therapy, Burd Home Health LLC, Rochester Public Library, Rochester Regional Health, HealthiKids PlayRocs (Rochester), Monte Alban Mexican Grill, Atlas Hostel (Las Palmas, Gran Canaria), Cerenety Eco Campsite (Bude, UK).
Residencies
Three Perspectives (Tre Prospettive), Cortona, Italy, December-February 2020. An immersive painting residency in the Tuscan village of Cortona, including a two week long language and arts collaboration with 5th grade students at the Cortona Scuola Elementare, and culminating in a group show at Hart Gallery27 in Brockport, NY, April 2021.
Painting Apprenticeship with Rick Muto Decorative Arts, Rochester, NY Janurary - May 2016. Provided assistance with painting a multi-paneled exterior mural for the Town of Brockport, NY depicting the town's history.
Adjacent Work
490 Farmers Community Garden & Urban Farm, Founder & Board Member, 2018 - present
Wheatland Chili Central School District, Scottsville, NY, Substitute Teacher, 2018 -2023.
St. Kateri School, Irondequoit, NY, Elementary Art Teacher, 2018-2019.
Education
Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT) – BFA in Illustration , May 2014
University of Georgia (UGA) – Study Abroad Program in Cortona Italy, May 2013 . Coursework in Painting, Art History, Art Education.