intimate observations: a retrospective of jan smith
curated by charlinee wichaidit
june 4 - july 23, 2026
craft council of bc gallery
opening reception - june 4 | 6-8p
artist talk & private viewing - june 11 | 7-9p
exhibition description
This upcoming retrospective celebrates the work of Jan Smith, recipient of the 2022 Hilde Gerson Award, and brings together works spanning her multidisciplinary practice in jewellery, printmaking, drawing, and enamel. Born in Vancouver and based in British Columbia, Smith has developed a body of work deeply informed by close observation of the natural world and a sustained engagement with material process.
At the heart of the exhibition is an invitation to slow down and attend to the details often overlooked in everyday life. Smith’s practice reflects a sensitivity to surface, texture, and transformation, particularly through enamel, a medium that balances precision with moments of unpredictability. Through mark-making and material manipulation, her works reveal an intimate dialogue between artist and object.
The exhibition also considers jewellery beyond its conventional role as adornment. Removed from the body and presented independently, these works ask viewers to encounter jewellery as sculptural and conceptual objects in their own right. Alongside finished works, visitors will be invited to engage with unfinished pieces through touch, offering insight into Smith’s process and the tactile relationships at the core of her practice.
artist biography
Jan Smith is a visual artist based on Salt Spring Island within the ancestral and unceded traditional territories of the Coast Salish Peoples, where she maintains an active studio practice. Born in New Westminster BC, Smith holds a BFA from NSCAD, Halifax NS and studied jewelry in the USA.
Jan has exhibited in solo and group shows across Canada, United States, England, Wales, and France. Smith’s work is found in private and public collections including The Metal Museum, USA, The Enamel Foundation, USA, and The Canada Council Art Bank. Jan is the recipient of several awards including the Hilde Gerson Award in 2022, Helen Pitt Fund for Fine Art, a four-year annual grant, and Juror’s Awards from The Enamelist Society and the Northern CA Enamel Guild.
Jan has participated in artist residencies at NSCADU, Halifax NS, Mendocino CA, Gatlinburg TN and Pocosin, Columbia, NC. Smith’s work has been featured in various publications including New Brooches and New Earrings, and five of the Lark 500 series books. Smith co-founded and served as president for the Vancouver Metal Arts Association. As an active member of the arts community, she has also served on the Seattle Metal Guild, Salt Spring Arts Council and Malaspina Printmakers boards, hosted a work study mentorship for students in her studio and teaches workshops across Canada and the US.
