INFORMATION
About Me:
Hello, I am Maria Smith and I am a nerdy art lover who eats enough candy to put her dentist's kids through college. A pop culture junkie and sometimes-foodie, I currently live with my family and my 4 cats (Lily, Rusty, Nero and Tabatha). When I am not making art, I make tutorials for different mediums and post them online. You can see some of my tutorials on my Tutorial page. I also write food reviews on my blog Sometimes Foodie. I am able to do commissioned clay work, digital coloring, photo editing, design and paintings. If you are in need of some arsty assistance, I would be happy to help you.
Poison & Antidote? Where does the name come from?
The name comes from an online shop I have been running for several years. I started it to sell my designs and goods. My name, Maria Smith, is quite plain and there are tons of 'Maria Smiths" in the world (Don't believe me? Check facebook). I wanted something interesting and unique that works for a lot of mediums. I love the idea of poison, and by having both Poison and Antidote I can split my designs and creations into 2 labels if needed.
How I got started:
I have always loved art, as a child I started by admiring the comics in the Sunday paper. I began by drawing fanart of various characters, Garfield, Powerpuff Girls, and Sailormoon. Eventually I started taking classes in art and branched out into various mediums and methods. I also started taking a hand drawn animation class outside of school (Animation Arts) where I met wonderful artists who inspired me to grow. In high school I started painting with acrylics and getting into working with duct tape, vinyl, fabrics, and recycled candy wrappers. After getting a sewing machine (a hand-me-down with no bobbin winder) I started sewing commissioned bags. In college I discovered polymer clay and miniature sculpture, and from there I began graphic design and sculpting. Now I try all mediums I can get my hands on.
What I am passionate about:
I am passionate about animal rights and take in a lot of strays and injured animals. I am also very passionate about Breast Cancer Awareness, I participate in the local walk every year and donate when I can. My amazing Aunt had a double mastectomy a few years ago because her mother and sister were lost to cancer. I strongly support all efforts to cure cancer and raise awareness about home-testing. Recently I have become more interested in organ donation and what organs can be donated from a live donor. You can see some work related to that on my design page.
What is Sometimes Foodie?
Sometimes foodie is a microblog I started on Tumblr. It is where I post food photos and reviews. It has everything! Snack foods from around the world, food from my travels, local favorites...and more! I started writing there because it made me happy, and it made it easier to organize my foodie-adventures, but now it has grown quite a bit. It has given me new opportunities, and now I also write food related articles for a pop culture blog.
What themes can be seen in my works:
Ever since I can remember I loved sweets and junk food, they are very common in my work. Being a child of the late 80's, pop culture is very near and dear to me. I love the evolution of trends and styles, throw backs to different eras and what is happening right now. I also love anatomical charts and internal organs. We often forget the complex systems under our skin that allow us to function everyday.
