The Ohio Artist Registry (OAR) is an exciting opportunity for artists to share their work, connect with the creative community, and establish an online presence—all on a free, virtual platform! The OAR encourages artists working in all art forms, throughout Ohio and beyond, to create a profile, which allows them to better promote themselves and their work. Being listed in the OAR provides artists with new opportunities to share their work with clients, galleries, patrons, and audiences. A listing in the OAR does not confer an endorsement, approval, or verification by the Ohio Arts Council.
For more information, contact Kathy Signorino, artist programs director, at kathy.signorino@oac.ohio.gov or 614-728-6140.
2024 Ohio Artist Registry Juried Exhibition
Bio
Klaire Smith was born in the hills of Southern Ohio and raised in Portsmouth, Ohio; the region having always been a point of inspiration. Attending the University of Rio Grande, Klaire graduated with honors in 2016 with a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree. While in college they took a special interest in supplemental education methods and collaboration. Klaire was certified as a Professional Printer at the Tamarind Institute in Albuquerque, New Mexico studying lithography and was trained professionally as a collaborator. Personally, Klaire’s work touches on regionalism, Appalachia, and the drug epidemic that so many are experiencing within our communities. Klaire is currently recognized on the Ohio Arts Council Teaching Artist Roster, living and working in Columbus, Ohio with their partner and two wiener dogs.
Artist Statement
Fueled by an awe of the land of my home and a rage of its desecration, my work focuses on Appalachian regionalism and its complexities. Neatly folded into the culture- just as the hills fold within themselves- poverty, opioids, and corruption influence every aspect of daily life while a cloud of apathy and depression looms. I aim to encourage we all look deeply, as evil hides in the dark.
