Janice Smith

Janice Smith is a furniture maker and educator based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.[1]

Janice Smith
Janice Smith speaking on a panel about Women's Woodworking at the American Craft Council Conference in Philadelphia.
Alma materVirginia Commonwealth University (BFA 1976), Rhode Island School of Design (MFA 1981)
Known forFurniture Maker
Websitehttp://www.janicesmithfurniture.com/about.html

Early life and education

Smith took a women's wood shop class in high school and became hooked on woodworking.[2] She attended Virginia Commonwealth University and studied under furniture maker Alphonse Mattia. She later attended the Rhode Island School of Design, studying furniture making under Tage Frid.[1][3] Smith is a member of the Furniture Society and was an early artist involved with American Studio Furniture.[4]

Career

Artist and furniture maker

After graduating college in 1981 she worked for a small furniture maker and then a Rhode Island boat builder. Eventually she started her own furniture making business creating custom furniture. Today she continues to run a business, working alongside her husband Reuben Wade to design and build interiors and commercial remodeling.[2]

In her work, Smith uses sculptural forms and aims to engage the viewer in all three dimensions, creating work that is both functional and exciting.[2] Her work is dynamic, often geometric and angular or with sweeping lines and curves. In her furniture work, Smith uses Italian-made composite veneered plywood. To create thickness and dimension in her work, she often uses torsion boxes - hollow structures with a frame-like core and a plywood "skin", veneered to look solid.[2] The financial freedom from teaching at the University of Kansas allowed her to explore new directions with her work.[2]

Smith's work has been featured in Wexler Gallery in Philadelphia and galleries and exhibitions across the country.[2][5]

Educator

Smith taught industrial and interior design full-time at the University of Kansas from 1992 - 1998.[6][3] She currently teaches part-time at Bucks County Community College, Moore College of Art and Design, and Drexel University.[1][7] She also teaches carpentry to Philadelphia youth through the Mural Arts' Restorative Justice program.[8]

At the American Craft Council conference held in Philadelphia in 2019, Smith spoke on a panel about women in woodworking hosted by Jennifer-Navva Milliken alongside woodworkers Laura Mays, Meg Bye, Emily Bunker, Folayemi Wilson, and Sarah Marriage of A Workshop of Our Own.

References
  1. Pierce, Kerry. (2001). The custom furniture source book : a guide to 125 craftsmen. Newtown, CT: Taunton Press. ISBN 1561584312. OCLC 46713280.
  2. "Innovative Approaches to Furniture: Janice Smith". Woodworking | Blog | Videos | Plans | How To. 2001-01-30. Retrieved 2019-10-17.
  3. "About Janice". www.janicesmithfurniture.com. Retrieved 2019-10-17.
  4. "Janice Smith". The Furniture Society. Retrieved 2019-10-17.
  5. "Birch and birch plywood with "Italo Pearl" composite veneer. Fabric design by Cynthia Schira | The Furniture Society". Retrieved 2019-10-17.
  6. "A Sculptors Tale". Fine Woodworking. 36: 98. January 1986.
  7. "Janice Smith | Directory | Bucks County Community College". ac.bucks.edu. Retrieved 2019-10-17.
  8. "Mural Progress | Family Interrupted Project". Retrieved 2019-10-17.
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