Serena Smith

  

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Serena Smith is an artist, educator, writer, and researcher, who explores the paradoxes of lived experience through the poetic realms of language and its material inscriptions.  At the core of her practice is an intellectual and material relationship with stone lithography that is grounded in the artisan environment of the printmaking workshop.  As one of a small field of internationally recognised lithographers, she spent her formative years as a collaborative lithographer at the Curwen Studio and the ecology of her practice today reflects this legacy.  In partnership with Leicester Print Workshop she developed the Lithography Fellowship and alongside writing, studio practice, and research, she continues to teach workshops, and offer bespoke tuition and technical support in lithography.

collections
Aberystwyth University, Ashmolean Museum, Oxford; Bayerische Staatsbibliothek, Munich; British Library, London; British Museum, London; China Printmaking Museum, Shenzhen; Nottingham University, Ningbo, China; Books on Books Collection, UK; University of California Environmental Design Library.

publications /press
Smith, S. (2023) Listen: a litho-phonic encounter. Nature: Humanities and Social Sciences Communications.10, 341, >>
Bolick, R. (2023) Books on Books Collection - Serena Smith, Ekphrasis. >>
Croft, P. (2022) Collaboration in Practice: British Lithography 1800-2022. pp 140-1. Aberystwyth: School of Art Press
Smith, S. (2022) 'Attending to the Sound of Sonorous Stones', IMPACT 12 Conference Proceedings. Bristol: UWE,  >>
Smith, S. 'Litho-phonic Worlds', presentation at 8th International Lithographic Symposium, Tidaholm, Sweden, 2022 >>
Smith, S. 'A Litho-Phonic Encounter', presentation at Festival of Ideas: Transitions, IAS Loughborough University, 2022 >>
Smith, S. 'Figure/Ground', presentation at Material Encounters Summer Colloquium: Uncertain Knowledges 2020 >> 
Smith, S. (2020) 'On Stone' in Inscription: the Journal of Material Text - Theory, Practice, History. September >>
Smith, S. (2020) 'Ekphrasis: inscriptions on wood and stone' in IMPACT Printmaking Journal. Issue 1.  >>
Stanfield, F., McGeown, L. (2019) The Printmaking Ideas book, pp 30,31,64,65. London: Ilex Press.
Bradley, L. (ed.)(2019) 'Out of the Woods: Serena Smith and Nick Mobbs' in Printmaking Today. Vol. 28. 
Smith, S. (2018) Cambridge Printmakers Biennale, UK - keynote speaker
Smith, S. (2015) Print Symposium, Regional Print Centre, Wrexham - keynote speaker
Jinks, K. 'Meet: Serena Smith' in UK Handmade. ISSUU 2015 >>
Hawley, H. (CVAN), 'Meet the Artist', 2014 >>
Baker, S. et al. (2013) ‘Conversation Starter’ in Printmaking Today. Vol. 22. No. 3. 
Smith, S. (2011) ‘Redundant Technology?’ in Small Print: Big Impression, exh. cat., Leicester: Leicester Print Workshop
Smith, S., S. Smithson, (2011) ‘The Apprentice’ in Printmaking Today. Vol.20. No.1. 
Smith, S. (2010) ‘Ten Years Young’ in Printmaking Today. Vol.19. No.2.
Jones, S. (2010) 'Stanley Jones and the Curwen Story', pp 133-136. London: Herbert Press 
Powers, A. (2008) 'Art and Print: The Curwen Story', pp 152-6. London: Tate Publishing 
Castle, S. (1995) ‘The Artist and Colour Lithography’ in Aspects of the Royal Academy: An Exhibition of the Art and Craft of Lithography, exh. cat., Sheeran Lock Fine Art Consultants.

awards/residencies
2023 For Arts Sake prize, RE Original Prints
2022 Third International Bienniale of Lithography, Serbia - First Prize
2022 Intaglio Printmaker Prize, RE Original Prints 
2021 Elected associate member of Royal Society of Painter-Printmakers >>
2020 Santander Mobility Award, Loughborough Doctoral College
2016 P2P Prize, Leicester Print Workshop
2016 Guanlan Original Printmaking Base, China – residency
2016 Reside Residency >>
2015 Studio Eleven Prize, Inprint
2014 Oppenheim-John Downes Memorial Trust Award
2012 Wirksworth Festival Prize, Derby City Open
2011 St Barnabus Prize, BITE: Artists Making Prints, Mall Galleries
2011 John E Wright Prize, Nottingham Castle Open
2010 Spike Island Prize, Small Print International
2009 Leicester Print Workshop Prize
2006 Long Road Sixth Form College, residency 

exhibitions 
2023 Collecting Nature, Eagle Gallery, London
2023 Members' Exhibition, Leicester Print Workshop
2023 Super Books, Munich
2023 RE Original Prints
2022/23 Collaboration in Practice: British Lithography 1800-2022, Aberystwyth University, Wales and touring, UK
2022/23 Members' Exhibition, Leicester Print Workshop, UK
2023 Refresh, Tarpey Gallery, Castle Donington, UK
2022 Third International Bienniale of Lithography, Belgrade, Serbia
2022 8th International Lithography Symposium, Tidaholm, Sweden
2022 Ecologies of Drawing: In Situ, Loughborough University >>
2022 Turn the Page: artists' book fair, Norwich, >>
2022 RE Original Prints, Bankside Gallery, London
2021 Drawn to Time, Loughborough University >>
2021 RE Original Prints, Bankside Gallery, London
2020 Re:connections, Upright Gallery, Edinburgh
2020 Triennial of Graphic Arts, Livno, Bosnia Hercegovina
2020 Refresh, Tarpey Gallery, Castle Donington, UK
2019 Out of the Woods, Nick Mobbs and Serena Smith, Leicester Print Workshop, UK >>
2019 Antiphony, Leicester Print Workshop, UK
2018 National Original Print Exhibition, Bankside Gallery, UK >>
2018 Lithographietage International, Munich >>
2018 International Printmaking Biennial, Douro, Portugal
2018 Journeys to Home, Rugby Museum and Art Gallery, UK
2017 A Study in Stone, Tarpey Gallery, UK >>
2017 Journeys Festival, Leicester, UK
2017 Ikagai, The Old Lock Up, Matlock, UK
2017 Ruskin Prize, Sheffield, UK >>
2017 BABE Bristol Artists Book Event, UK
2017 3rd Global Print, Portugal
2017 Sketch Open, Rabley Drawing Centre and touring, UK >>
2016/17 P2P, Leicester Print Workshop, UK
2016/17 Small Print International, Leicester and touring, UK
2016 Litho-Kielce, Poland
2015 Xiaoxiang Exhibition, Changsha, China >>
2015 Light Up, Leicester
2015 Inprint, Hull, UK
2014/15 Akram Khan: One side to the Other, The Lowry, Salford, UK >>
2014 The Walking Encyclopaedia, Airspace Gallery, Stoke on Trent, UK
2014 Print International, Mansers, Shrewsbury; Oriel Myrdnn, Carmarthen, UK
2013/14 Practical Dialogue, Studio Eleven, Hull; Embrace, Leicester; Milton Keynes Project Space; Alfred East Gallery, Kettering, UK >>
2013 Pastoral, West Yorkshire Print Workshop. Solo exhibition.
2013 Hodegetria: work in progress, Wirksworth Festival, Derbyshire
2013 Fresh Prints, UAL Showroom, London, UK
2013 The London Group Centenary Open, UK
2013 Print International, Wrexham, UK
2013 Harley Gallery Open, Welbeck, UK
2012 Derby City Open, UK
2012/13 BIMPE V11; Vancouver and touring, Canada
2012 Midlands Open, Tarpey Gallery, UK
2012 RE Open, Bankside Gallery, London, UK
2012 BITE: Artists Making Prints, Mall Galleries, London
2012 Passion 2 Print, Yarrow Gallery, Oundle, and touring
2011 Midlands Open, Tarpey Gallery, Castle Donington
2011 Nottingham Castle Annual Open
2011 Bite: Artists Making Prints, Mall Galleries, London
2011 Small Print, New Walk MuseumLeicester and touring
2010 Surface, Clare HallCambridge
2009 ‘And weave but nets ...’ PrintroomLCB Depot, Leicester. Solo exhibition.
2009 Passion to Print, City Gallery, Leicester and touring
2008 scissorspaperstone, London Print Studio
2006 Multiple Choice, Fermynwoods Contemporary ArtNorthampton
2006 North House Gallery, Manningtree
2006 New Hall College, Cambridge
2005 Art East, Bury St. Edmunds Art Gallery
2004 Land and Light, Wingfield Arts, Suffolk
2003 Eastern Open, Kings Lynn,
2002 Eastern Open, Kings Lynn 
 
teaching / professional practice
2009 - current Leicester Print Workshop, tutor, technician and lithography mentor
2002 - 2011 Curwen Print Study Centre, Cambridge, tutor and consultant lithographer
1985 - 1997 Curwen Studio, London and Cambridge, studio lithographer
 
education
2018-2024 Loughborough University, doctoral research 
2006-08 Institute of Education, London (P.G.Dip. Art and Design in Education)
2002-04 Central Saint Martins School of Art, London (M.A. Fine Art)
1981-83 University of London (B.A.Hons. Art/Drama)