Dianne Smith (born 1965) is an abstract painter, sculptor, and installation artist. Her work has been exhibited in solo and group exhibitions in New York City’s Soho and Chelsea art districts as well as, numerous galleries and institutions throughout the United States, and abroad. She is an arts educator in the field of Aesthetic Education at Lincoln Center Education, which is part of New York City’s Lincoln Center For the Performing Arts. Since the invitation to join the Institute almost a decade ago she has taught pre k-12 in public schools throughout the Tri-State area. Her work as an arts educator also extends to undergraduate and graduate courses in various colleges and universities in the New York City area. She has taught at Lehman College, Brooklyn College, Columbia University Teachers College, City College, and St. John’s University.
In 2007, she was one of the artists featured in the Boondoggle Film documentary Colored Frames. The film took a look back at 50 years in African-American Art, and also featured other artists such as Benny Andrews, Ed Clark and Danny Simmons. That same year the historical Abyssinian Baptist Church, which is New York’s oldest African-American church, commissioned Smith to create the artwork commemorating their 2008 bicentennial. In addition, she co-produced an online radio show the New Palette, for ArtonAir.org Art International Radio dedicated to visual artists of color. Her private collectors include: Poet Dr. Maya Angelou, Broadway choreographer George Faison, Danny Simmons, Vivica A. Fox, Rev. and Mrs. Calvin O. Butts, III, Cicely Tyson, Arthur Mitchell, Tasha Smith and Terry McMillan.
Dianne Smith is a Bronx native of Belizean descent. She attended LaGuardia High School of Music and Art, the Otis Parsons School of Design and the Fashion Institute of Technology. Smith completed her MFA at Transart Institute in Berlin, Germany. She currently lives and works in Harlem, New York.
2012: "Dianne Smith, Surface & Soul", Piedmont Arts, Martinsvlle, Virginia, Curated by Brandon Adams and Dianne Smith. Dianne Smith, s.h.e. Gallery, Boontoon, New Jersey, Curated by Dianne Smith and Kim Saunders.
2011: "Syllogisms", RFA Gallery, New York City. Curated by Dianne Smith and Paula Coleman.
2006: "Live Artfully", Kalahari, New York City.
2005: "My View: A Black Girl’s Thoughts On Canvas", Hearne Fine Art, Little Rock, Arkansas. Curated by Garbo Hearne. Dianne Smith, ZZAJ, New York City.
2003: "The Duplicity of the Proletariat", UFA Gallery, New York City. Curated by Carol Sims and Lawrence Finney.
2002: "Unbroken", UFA Gallery, New York City. Curated by Carol Sims and Lawrence Finney. "Unbroken", Diggs Gallery Winston Salem State University, Winston Salem, North Carolina. Curated by Belinda Tate. "We’ve Come This Far", Abyssinian Baptist Church, Charity Event, New York City.
2014: "I Kan Do Dat, Contemporary Abstract Art", Skylight Gallery, Brooklyn, New York. Curated by Daniel Simmoms and Oshun Layne.
2014: "From Africa to Abstract: Journey of a People Through Art and Image", Southampton Cultural Center, Southampton, New York. Curated by Tina Andrews.
2013: Curate NYC, On line Exhibition, New York City. Curated by Amanda Hunt.
2013: Curate NYC, On line Exhibition, New York City. Curated by Paul Goodwin.
2013: Curate NYC, On line Exhibition, New York City. Curated by Betty-Sue Hertz.
2012: Together, s.h.e. Gallery, Boontoon, New Jersey, Curated by Kim Saunders.
2012: “Romare Bearden: 20th Century American Master” A Project of the Romare Bearden Foundation. Developed and produced by Full Spectrum Experience, Inc, New York City. Curated by Danny Simmons and Brian Tate.
2012: Curate NYC, On line Exhibition, New York City. Curated by Lowery Sims.
2012: Curate NYC, On line Exhibition, New York City. Curated by
2011: "Collaborations: Two Decades of Excellence", The Delta Cultural Center, Helena, Arkansas.
2010: Dash Gallery, New York City.
2010: Woman’s Work: 20 Emerging and Mid-Career Avisca Fine Art, Marrietta, Georgia. "Stand Up II: Individualism in a Collective State", New York City, Tilford Art Group. Curated by Terrell Tilford.
2010: "Collaborations: Two Decades of Excellence", South Arkansas Arts Center in El Dorado, Arkansas.
2009: "Collaborations: Two Decades of Excellence", Chattanooga African American Museum.
2009: Habitat for Artist, New York City.
2008: School of Visual Arts Residency Open Studios, New York City. Hearne Fine Art, National Black Fine Art Show, New York City. "Collaborations: Two Decades of Excellence", Pyramid/Hearne Fine Art: 1998–2008, Little Rock, Arkansas. Curated by Garbo Hearn. "Daughters Of The Diaspora", Hearne Fine Art, Little Rock, Arkansas. Curated by Garbo Hearne.
2007: Colours Fine Art, National Black Fine Art Show, New York City.
2006: "Objects Reinvented", PCOG Gallery, New York, New York. Curated by Paula Coleman. Harmony Designs, Mount Vernon, New York. Abstract Artist, Johnson-Byrd Gallery, New York City. "Abstract Expressionism: A Sublime Experience", West Harlem Art Fund Russ Berrie Medical Science Pavilion, New York City. Curated by Savona Bailey McClain. Colours Fine Art, National Black Fine Art Show, New York City Abstraction, Corridor Gallery, Brooklyn, New York. Tilford Art Group, Los Angeles, California. Curated by Terrell Tilford.
2005: Colours Fine Art, National Black Fine Art Show, New York City. Hearne Fine Art, Little Rock, Arkansas. Artjaz Gallery, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Arterior, Contemporary African, Caribbean and Latin American Art, Off The Main, New York City.
2004: Kenkeleba Gallery, National Black Fine Art Show, New York City. Rongio Gallery, allu’sion, Brooklyn, New York.
2003: P.C.O.G. Gallery, New York City. "Represent Too! Celebrating Black Women Visual Artists of the 21st Century", Los Angeles, California. Curated by Terrell Tilford. Rush Fine Arts, New York City. "Unbroken, Celebrating Black History", The Art Center of Northern New Jersey The Art Center of Northern New Jersey, New Milford, New Jersey. National Black Fine Arts Show, UFA Gallery, New York City.
2002: "No Greater Love: Abstraction", Jack Tilton Gallery, New York City. "Myriad Eyes, Women in Photography", SUNY Empire State College The Art Center of Northern New Jersey, Metropolitan Center Galley, New York City. Hearne Fine Art, Little Rock, Arkansas. Curated by Garbo Hearne. "Believe", Fairleigh Dickinson University, Hackensack, New Jersey. Curated by Carol Sims. NAC, Rush Fine Arts, New York City. UFA Gallery, National Black Fine Arts Show, New York City. Museum of Contemporary African Diaspora Arts (MoCADA), Brooklyn, New York.
2001: NAC, The Center For Arts & Culture, Skylight Gallery, Brooklyn, New York. Museum of Contemporary African Diaspora Arts (MoCADA), Brooklyn, New York, Gale-Martin Gallery, New York City.
2000: UFA Gallery, National Black Fine Arts Show, New York City. "Celebrating Black History Month", The Art Center of Northern New Jersey, New Milford, New Jersey. Celebrating Black History Month, Bergen Regional Medical Center, Paramus, New Jersey. Women in the Arts, Simone's Gallery, Pelham, New York. City Hall, Mount Vernon, New York. COLOR, Chicago Black Fine Arts Show, Gale-Martin Gallery, Chicago, Illinois. Iandor Fine Art, Newark, New Jersey. Curated by Tarin Fuller. UFA Gallery, New York City. Curated by Carol Sims. Gale-Martin Gallery, New York City.
Selected public art and installations
2013: "Dazzle, Play Lab", The West Harlem Art Fund, New York City.
2013: Public Art, Festval de Artes al Aire Libre, Museo Municipal de Guayaquil- Ecuador, Guayaquil, Ecuador.
2013: "No Limits", Harrison Museum of African American Culture, Roanoke, Virginia.
2013: "Organic Abstract", The West Harlem Art Fund
2012: "Connections", Select Art Fair, Art Basel Miami, Miami, Florida.
2012: "Afro Syllogisms, Transformers: A Coiled Potential", Atelierhof Kreuzberg, Berlin, Germany.
2011: "Within Shadows Cast", Piedmont Arts, Martinsvlle, Virginia.
2011: "Where Are We Now", Piedmont Arts, Martinsvlle, Virginia.
2011: "Loosely Coupled", The West Harlem Art Fund, Governor’s Island, New York City.
2011: "Gumboot Juba", The West Harlem Art Fund, Armory Arts Week, New York City.
2009: "Remix/Repurpose", PARK(ING) Day NYC, West Harlem Art Fund, New York City.
Abyssinian Baptist Church, New York City, Sponsored by the Bicentennial Anniversary Committee, 2007.
Dr. Maya Angelou
George Faison
Danny Simmons
Vivica A. Fox
Rev. Dr. & Mrs. Calvin O. Butts, III
Cicely Tyson
Terry McMillan
Arthur Mitchell
Tasha Smith
Lectures and panels
NYC State of the Art Conference Panelist: What more can be done to facilitate NYC artists selling art?, New York City, 2010.
Moderator, Panel Discussion Longevity and Sustainability in a Global Market Place, Hearne Fine Art, 2008.
Lecture, Hearne Fine Art, Little Rock, Arkansas, 2007.
Lecture, Gay Men’s Health Crisis, New York City, 2006.
Lecture, UFA Gallery, New York, New York City, 2003.
Lecture, Fairleigh Dickinson University, Hackensack, New Jersey, 2002.
Lecture, Winston Salem State University, Winston Salem, North Carolina, 2002.
Lecture, Harlem Book Fair, New York City, 2001.
School Of Visual Arts Residency, Painting and Mixed Media
