work by Andrew Smith at Chroma Gallery

Chroma Gallery presently features the fascinating sculpture of young Utah artist, Andrew Smith. At age 22, Smith has made a dramatic entrance into the Utah art world. One of his most ambitious works to date, “The Bearing See,” received the Directors Award at the 2001 Spring Salon show at the Springville Museum of Art. Art director Vern Swanson says of Smith’s work, “I find myself returning to look at it again and again. His work is not just interesting, it’s riveting.”

Smith has attended a few art classes at Utah Valley State College, but his true training came by fortunate pedigree — his father is Dennis Smith, well-known sculptor and painter.

The father’s influence is definitely present in the fanciful amalgamations that are Smiths work, but the younger sculptor has convincingly managed to forge his own presence with the use of tracks, ball bearings, wheels and even fishbowls.

Chroma Gallery owner Darryl Erdmann talks with Andrew Smith about one of Smith’s kinetic works.

A few of the works in Chroma have the feeling of having come out of the laboratory of some mad scientist. Water rises, balls roll and machinery creaks and grinds. “I like to incorporate moving elements into my sculptures, something that will draw people in and make them wonder how it works. I want to encourage people to step into a new frame of mind where they can see forms and shapes in places they normally wouldn’t,” says Smith. His father describes the work as a “celebration of curiosity.”

Smith has recently been approached for commissions, and his work may soon be placed in a children’s hospital, an appropriate site to celebrate curiosity.

Shawn Rossiter

The founder of Artists of Utah and editor of its online magazine, 15 Bytes, Shawn Rossiter has undergraduate degrees in English, French and Italian Literature and studied Comparative Literature in graduate school before pursuing a career in art.