I paint possibility.

I’m not in the business of outcomes — it’s the threshold I’m drawn to. The quiet tension, the breath held before that first step forward. A single moment that might change our lives forever.

Layer upon layer, I use color, gesture, and intuition to probe the emotions of transition: exhilaration and resistance, chaos and clarity. Some layers remain visible, others fade beneath the surface — buried histories that add depth and texture. This process mirrors the contrasting forces shaping our lives, resulting in compositions that withhold as much as they reveal.

My work invites you to stand at that edge — to sense both the seen and unseen, what is and what could be.

Work in progress - acrylic painting on canvas by Laurie Smithwick
Work in progress - acrylic painting on canvas by Laurie Smithwick
Work in progress - acrylic painting on wood panel by Laurie Smithwick

Laurie Smithwick has never been interested in staying in one lane.

She grew up drawing, writing, and photographing the world around her. She studied art and creative writing at Duke University, then graphic design and photography at Parsons School of Design. Formal training provided language for an instinct that was already present: a fascination with the tension between structure and abstraction.

For more than two decades, she worked as a designer and creative director, founding LEAP Design and creating award-winning work for clients including Verve Records, The United Nations, Pfizer, UNC School of Medicine, and WFAE. Her design work earned her a Grammy nomination for CD package design, and laid the groundwork for a 2016 TEDx talk about creativity and where ideas come from.

Throughout her graphic design career, she maintained an active studio practice, but painting eventually took over.

Today, she works as an abstract painter, printmaker, and photographer. Her work has been exhibited widely and lives in private and corporate collections across the US, Europe, and the US Virgin Islands. She also creates large-scale murals and public art installations for organizations such as Novant Health, AARP, Blumenthal Arts, Charlotte Center City Partners, and The VAPA Center.

Whether working on a tiny canvas, a photograph, or sprawling wall, Laurie uses color, texture, repetition, and so many layers to conjure possibility — probing the space between intentional and accidental, seen and unseen.

She lives and works in Charlotte, North Carolina.

In 2016 I gave a TEDx talk about where ideas come from — including some of the paintings you’ll find in my studio. If you want to understand how I think — in 12 minutes or less — look no further.

Highlight Reel

  • Duke University – Art and Creative Writing
  • Parsons School of Design – Graphic Design and Photography
  • Grammy nomination – Best Recording Package – Boxed
  • TEDxCharlotte Speaker – “You ARE an Idea Person”
  • Solo and Group Exhibitions + Collections – Throughout the US, Europe, and US Virgin Islands
  • Public Art Commissions – Novant Health, AARP, Blumenthal Arts, Charlotte Center City Partners, VAPA Center

View full CV

Highlight Reel

  • Duke University – Art and Creative Writing
  • Parsons School of Design – Graphic Design and Photography
  • Grammy nomination – Best Recording Package – Boxed
  • TEDxCharlotte Speaker – “You ARE an Idea Person”
  • Solo and Group Exhibitions + Collections – Throughout the US, Europe, and US Virgin Islands
  • Public Art Commissions – Novant Health, AARP, Blumenthal Arts, Charlotte Center City Partners, VAPA Center

View full CV

Now let's go look at some art

Or get in touch with me