Adrian Smith was born in Lamar, South Carolina, and now resides in Darlington with her parents and five siblings. In May 2019, she graduated from Coastal Carolina University with a BA in Graphic Design with a minor focus on studio art, specifically watercolor painting. In June 2019, she was hired at the Florence County Museum as the Curatorial Assistant. In 2022, she was a South Carolina Emerging Artist grant recipient. Now, she is making her name as a mural artist in the Pee Dee community, painting murals for prominent clients such as McLeod Children's Hospital.

Artist Bio

Artist statement

My work varies depending on my mood or current events. Most of the time, I saw a pretty lady and wanted to paint her. There is no rhyme or reason other than the beauty of the model. One main driving force in my work is the media that I consume. I watch a lot of TV, scroll on social media, and listen to music. All paintings, if not named after the model, are titled with song lyrics or the name of a song. When watching shows or movies, I wonder if I can create a painting based on the themes shown. In 2020, as most were then, I was into the news. I made art that showed how I felt watching the actions of America at that time.

Through self-exploration, I've realized I do Maladaptive daydreaming. Maladaptive daydreaming is a behavior where a person spends excessive time daydreaming, often becoming immersed in their imagination. My brain doesn't have a break. I am constantly daydreaming. It doesn't interfere with my day-to-day life, but I do need moments to think about the other life I'm living in my head. I bring that up because My daydreaming also thrives off the media I take in. I get ideas from scenes and scenarios I see when daydreaming.

Thank you to all of my teachers, professors, & bosses for molding me into the artist I am today