Artists

Patrick Smith

Patrick Smith is a multi-talented installation artist and filmmaker who studied at The University of Massachusetts, Amherst, and has been working as an independent animator in New York City for the last decade. Born in San Juan, Puerto Rico 1972, youngest of five, son of fur trapper turned naval officer, Smith moved about the United States growing up.

Smith, an institution at today's International Film Festival circuit, has written, produced, and directed five award-winning films from 2000-2006. His latest work, "Puppet" is a traditionally animated film that premiered at the 2006 Tribeca Film Festival. Smith's bizarre, morphing style tells symbolic stories of identity and emotion, and has extended beyond film. His Public Installations, featuring numerous unclothed figures, piled on top of one another creating large shapes, have earned the artist a multitude of accolades outside the world of animation.

Smiths' legendary reputation as an animation director has led to major commercial contracts with Disney, MTV Networks, Nickelodeon, Pfizer, and a multitude of other clients world-wide. His directorial debut was for the Emmy nominated MTV series "Down-Town", continuing on to direct the popular animated series "Daria." Smith was included in the "Best of 2003" from ArtForum Magazine, for his iconic illustration and animation work for Pfizer.

Smith is also a Professor and Senior Thesis advisor at the Pratt Institute in New York, a fellow with the New York Foundation of the Arts, and a curator for multiple international film and animation festivals. His studio is located in Tribeca, New York City.

Using the figure as a building block, intertwining with other figures, is a powerful method of constructing a broader configuration. The concept of people supporting others to achieve something larger than themselves can have a sublime result, and it's something that I enjoy illustrating. Furthermore, taking these images and displaying them in a public manner removes any pretense that the art may have. Approachability is a key element to cartoon-type design. With these figures, I don't concern myself with audience acceptance, for I know that an iconic design is very easy to read, as well as to define. The structures themselves are designed to be shown within an urban environment, they work with the surrounding structures, they don't interfere with them. The entire project is meant to be a passive, simple addition to the everyday city street.

EXHIBITIONS
• Solo Exhibition, CVZ Contemporary Gallery, New York City, 2007.
• Retrospective, Animateka Ljubljana, Slovenia, 2006.
• Retrospective, Plymouth Film Festival, Massachusetts, 2006.
• Group Exhibition, CVZ Contemporary Gallery, New York City, 2006.
    • Retrospective, Black Point Film Festival, Wisconsin, 2005.
    • Retrospective, Sol Film Festival, Norfolk, Virginia, 2005.
    • Retrospective, Portand Animation Festival, Portland, Oregon, 2004.
• Group Exhibition, CVZ Contemporary Gallery, New York City, 2005.
    • Group Exhibition, National Museum of Photography, Film & TV, UK, 2004.
• Group Exhibition, Orange County Museum of Art, 2004.
    • Group Exhibition, Toronto Moving Image Society, Toronto, Canada, 2004.
    • Group Exhibition, Museum of Comic and Cartoon Art, New York City, 2004.
• Group Exhibition, New Image Art Gallery, Los Angeles, California, 2002.
• Group Exhibition, Mt. San Jacinto College Art Gallery, Temecula, California,
   2002

FILM/VIDEO EXHIBITIONS (Partial List)
    • 2007 Tel Aviv Animation Festival, Romania.
• 2007 Dakino International Film Festival, Romania.
    • 2007 Wiesbaden International Animation Festival.
• 2007 Rio de Janeiro Film Festival, Brazil.
    • 2006 Tirana International Film Festival, Albania.
• 2006 Estenest Film Festival, Romania.
• 2006 Exground Film Festival, Germany.
• 2006 Calgary Film Festival, Canada.
• 2006 Animateka Animation Festival of Slovenia, Slovenia.
• 2005 Annecy Animation Festival, France.
• 2005 Festival des Tres Courts, France.
• 2005 Ottawa Animation Festival, Canada.
• 2005 Cordoba International Film Festival, Argentinia.
    • 2005 China Int. Digital Arts Festival, ROC.
• 2005 Milano Film Festival, Italy.
• 2005 Interfilm Berlin Short Film Festival, Germany.
• 2005 Tehran International Animation Festival, Iran.
• 2005 Euganca Fetival Internazionale del Cortometraggio, Italy.
• 2005 Perth International Film Festival, Australia.
• 2005 Chiavari International Film Festival, Italy.
• 2005 Les Nuits Magiques Festival du Film d'Animation, France.
• 2005 Cine-Jeune de L'Aisne, France.
• 2004 New York Short Film Expo, US.
• 2003 Rimini Cartoon Club, Italy.
• 2003 Pusan International Film Fest, Korea.
• 2003 Lausanne International Film Fest, Switzerland.
• 2002 Melbourne International Film Festival.
• 2002 Sydney International Animation Festival.
• 2001 Anima Mundi Animation Festival, Brazil.
• 2001 Cleveland International Film Festival, US.
• 2001 Leeds International Film Festival, UK.
• 2000 Clermont Ferrand International Short Film Festival, France.
• 2000 Ajijic International Film Festival, Mexico.

BIBLIOGRAPHY: BOOKS
• Nicholas Ganz, "Graffiti World", Harry N Abrams, London, 2004.
    • Kelly Burns, "New York Street Art", 4am press, New York, 2004.
    • Tristan Manco, "Icon Art", Thames and Hudson, London, 2004.

BIBLIOGRAPHY: ARTICLES/REVIEWS (Partial List)
• Julia Morton, "Pile-Up Personification", New York Press, March 2007.
• Kate Aurthur, "Little Blob Don't Be Sad", New York Times, January 2005.
• Rory L. Aronsky, "Handshake" Film Threat Magazine, May 2005.
• Jennifer Murby, "Ever Changing Street Art", Soloarte Magazine, March 2004
    • David Rimanelli, "Best of 2003", ArtForum Magazine, December, 2003.
    • Terry Katlan, "Vertical Integration," Creativity Magazine, January 2003.
• Carol McCormick, "Code of the Street" Paper Magazine, December 2003.
• Stephie Nelson, "Pole Position," Time Out NY, October 2002.
    • Tessa DeCarlo, "Bringing Cartoons Back," New York Times, August 2002.
• Mike Miliard, "Short Cuts," Boston Phoenix, September 2001.

FILMOGRAPHY
• "Puppet" Animation 2006.            • "Handshake" Animation 2004.
• "Moving Along" Animation 2004.        • "Delivery," Animation 2002.
• "Drink," Animation 2000.            • "Oblivious," Animation, 1994.

AWARDS/HONORS (Partial List)
    • Best Animation, Northampton Independent Film Festival, 2006.
• Best Animation, Action on Film Festival, Los Angeles, 2006.
• Best Animation, Griffin International Film Festival, 2006.
• Best Animation, Grand Festival Award, Berkeley Film Festival, 2006.
• Best Animation, Phoenix Film Festival, 2007.
• Honorable Mention, Signals International Film Festival, UK, 2006.
• Honorable Mention, Smogdance Film Festival, 2007.
• First Place, Dragoncon Film Festival, Atlanta, 2007.
• Third Place, First Glance Film Festival, Los Angeles, 2006.
• Runner Up, Asheville Film Festival, 2006.
• Third Place, Lake havasu Film Festival,AZ, 2007.
• Second Place, 2005 ASIFA-East (Assoc. Internationale du Film d'Animation),
   2007
• Best Animation, Northampton Film Festival, 2004.
• Jury Award, Savannah Film Festival, 2005.
• Best Animation, Temecula Valley International Film and Music Festival, 2005.
• Best Animation, Myrtle Beach Film Festival, 2005.
• Best Animation, Golden Film Festival, 2005.
• Best Animation, Spindletop Film Fesitval, 2005.
• Best Animation, Long Island Film Expo, 2005.
• Best Animation, Black Point Film Festival, 2005.
• Best Animation, Garden State Film Festival, 2006.
• 1st Place, ASIFA-East (Association Internationale du Film d'Animation), 2005.
• Pulcinella Award Nomination, Cartoons on the Bay, Italy, 2005.
• Honorable Mention, Tribeca Underground Film Festival, 2005.
• Honorable Mention, Smogdance International Film Festival, 2006.
• Honorable Mention, ASIFA San Fran (Assoc. Int. du Film d'Animation), 2005.
• 1st Place, ASIFA-East(Association Internationale du Film d'Animation), 2003.
• Best Debut Film, New York Film Expo, 2001.
• Winner, "Oz" Award, Chicago Animation Festival, 2003.
• 2nd Place, ASIFA-East Animation Festival, 2001.
• 2nd Place, ASIFA-San Francisco Animation Festival, 2002.
• Best Animation, Myrtle Beach Film Festival, 2006.
• Best Music Video, No Exit Music Video Festival, 2007.
• Best Music Video, Oxford Film Festival, 2005.
• Jury Prize, China International Cartoon Animation Festival, 2004.
• Best Music Video, Urban Mediamakers Film Festival, 2004.
• Winner, IMVF, International Music Video Festival, 2004.
• Winner, Sponsored Films, ASIFA-East Animation Festival, 2004.
• Bronze Award, Kalamazoo Animation Festival, 2005.
• Jury Award, Holland Animation Festival, 1995.
• Bronze Award. BDA(Broadcast Design Assoc.),1996.
• Fellowship Grant. New York Foundation for the Arts, 2002.
• Fellowship Grant. Cable Endowment of Springfield Public Service Grant, 1994.

LECTURES/PUBLIC ENGAGEMENTS (Partial List)
    • Lecture/Sceening. School of Visual Arts, New York City, 2007
• Panelist. Boston Ruff Cutz Film Conference, Boston, 2007.
• Lecture/Sceening. San Jose State University, San Jose, 2006
• Lecture/Sceening. University of the Arts, Philadelphia, 2006.
• Lecture/Screening. Maryland Institute College of Art, 2006.
    • Lecture. Savannah College of Art and Design, 2005.
• Lecture/Screening. Delaware College of Art and Design, 2005.
    • Jury Member, Hamptons International Film Festival, 2005.
    • Lecture. The Art Institute of Philadelphia, 2005.
• Lecture. The Cooper Union, New York City, 2005.
    • Lecture. Portland Indepependent Animation Festival, 2004.
    • Panelist. Ottawa International Animation Festival, Canada, 2004.
• Jury Member. University of Massachusetts Jr./Sr. Show, Amherst, Massachusetts, 2004.
• Panelist. Atlanta International Film Festival, 2004.
    • Panelist. Lake Placid Film Festival, Lake Placid, New York, 2004.
    • Lecture. School of Visual Arts, New York City, 2004.
• Jury Member. New York Expo of Short Film, New York City, 2001.

TEACHING
    • Pratt Institute, Senior Thesis Advisor (Adjunct), Presently Teaching.

EDUCATION
• Bachelor of Art Degree, 1994, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, Massachusetts.

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