Get to Know Me
Hello, my name is Maria Smith, welcome to my official website! I'm a graphic designer by day and a renegade foodie by night. Since graduating from Rutgers University with a degree in graphic design, I have gained over 5 years of industry experience.When I am not designing, making art, or writing about food, you can find me pampering my two rescue dogs, Jack-Jack and Pepper.
I have many hobbies, but my favorite passtime is food. I run a blog, Sometimes Foodie, that updates regularly. (You can read more about that below in my Sometimes Foodie section.) I also create art-related resources for educators. You can find my downloadable teaching products in my store or on the website Teachers Pay Teachers.
I am available for graphic design freelance work, as well as custom pinback button orders, and more. If you are in need of some artsy assistance, send me an email.
I would be happy to help you.
Poison & Antidote? Where does the name come from?
There are millions of "Maria Smiths" in the world. (Just check facebook.) I wanted something catchy and unique that would be sure to set me apart from the crowd, and "Poison & Antidote" was it. I started using it around 2006 for my Etsy shop and it has been part of my personal branding ever since.How I got started:
As a child, I was obsessed with Garfield the cat. Creator, Jim Davis, created an empire based around a comic strip and seeing how his drawings had evolved and how he had stuck to such a rigid schedule for years lit a fire under me to be just as industrious. I became obsessed with creating using any materials I could get my hands on.Once I graduated high school, I opened my Etsy shop to sell my various wares. Along with creating all of my own products, I also photographed my items, designed advertisements and created packaging. While in college, I focused on painting, but one of my professors noticed my industrious drive and all the things I was doing outside of class and told me I should explore graphic design as a profession. I started taking courses, and it fit like a glove. I've been designing ever since.
What I am passionate about:
I am passionate about animals, their rights, and adoption, but I am also very passionate about Breast Cancer Awareness. I participate in the local Breast Cancer walk every year and donate when I can. My amazing Aunt had a double mastectomy a few years ago, after losing her mother and sister to cancer, and she's an inspiration. I strongly support all efforts to cure cancer and raise awareness about home-testing. Recently I have also 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 my online side project that is completely dedicated to food. I post food photography, reviews, recipes, and information. It started out as a hobby, but it has become something that I update daily. I have always loved food, and Sometimes Foodie has become my creative, and delicious, outlet. Although it started out as a hobby, it has given me new opportunities, and now I write food related articles for a pop culture blog.What themes can be seen 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. Therefore, you can see a heavy pop culture influence in my graphic design work. I also love anatomical charts and internal organs. This lead to my interest in organ donation and creation of Bare Essentials, a design project of mine for an art show to raise awareness for the cause. We often forget the complex systems under our skin that allow us to function every day.
Also, a fairly obvious theme in my sculpture would be food. Ever since I can remember I loved sweets and junk food, so they are very common in my work.