C. Blake Smith
March 15, 1977 - June 17, 2025
We recently lost a significant member of our studio community - our dear friend and studio mate, Blake. His absence is palpable, and our hearts are heavy. His loss has reminded us of what’s most valuable - friends, family, health. In Blake’s honor, we’ve thrown ourselves into making art and celebrating community.
Artist Statement
My work explores themes of memory, anonymity, family, place and loss. By arranging vintage photos, found objects and ephemera, I explore fragments of time that are captured, re-imagined, and re-contextualized. This process creates new narratives for images and materials that otherwise have no known history. In doing so I create new life for these objects and give them meaning and purpose in a world where objects and images are increasingly transitory.
Blake Smith is a native of South Carolina. He received a BA in Visual Art from Lander University, and an MFA from Clemson University with an Emphasis in Photography. He works with a variety of media, including traditional black and white photography, wood carving, and ceramics. He is Currently Associate Professor of Art at North Greenville University in Tigerville, SC