Artist Profiles: Daphne Smith

Born and raised in Australia, I came to the U.S. as part of a world trip and returned to stay for the past 29 years. I married here and have 3 children, numerous grandchildren and 3 great-grandchildren at this writing.

I enjoyed commercial art for a short period in Australia and when I stopped traveling here in the States, worked with graphics and silk screen printing for fired surfaces for many years. After teaching ceramics with the Detroit Board of Education, I decided to try independence instead of employment and opened my own home studio and began travel teaching both here and abroad. I have been privileged to have taken classes with some of the greatest talents in the ceramic industry over the past 15 plus years and apart from the wonderful techniques and methods I learned, they also gave me a great love for the versatility and beauty of clay. Ceramics can be functional, decorative, whimsical and just ] about anything you put your mind to, but whatever direction you lean to, it should always be fun...after all, it’s only a bunch of mud until YOU transform it into a masterpiece.

I teach at all levels, entry to advanced, and encourage my students to go beyond what they already know and to try new adventures in decorating. Knowledge of the basics is the key to going forward...the better you understand the tools and products you work with, the greater your ability to predict what results you can arrive at. Quality and pride should be a part of anything you create, and knowledge is the best tool you can work with. As a judge, I’ve seen many great pieces, but all the winners exhibited the correct use of their chosen medium to attain their prize.

My videos can show you the basics for the proper use of much of the equipment, product, and tools used to have "fun in the mud."