Patrick “Panto” Smith has been an artist all of his life. His most recent artistic expression is his solo exhibit at Cane Roots Art Gallery in downtown Christiansted. The private opening in the early afternoon hours of the November Art Thursday gave way to a full house of patrons during the evening through the closing hour.
As most creatives, Smith uses his art to communicate feelings, memories, expressions of joy and the like. For Smith, his visual art is the ultimate vehicle to “voice” his communication to the world.
An injury left Smith unable to use his right arm and a stroke affected his speech.
Smith was born in Tortola, British Virgin Islands, the second of nine children born to Gerald and Ursula Smith. The arts have been very present in his life since the time of his early youth, he said. “I engaged in drawing and illustration as a boy with many other creative interests.”
A special interest in the musical arts, which is a trait he knows he’s gotten from his father and his side of the family, encouraged Smith to compose and sing his own songs. Bob Marley, Peter Tosh, and Bunny Wailer were his inspirations.
Smith learned and enjoyed doing clothing design and construction, which came from his mother’s side, he said.
“I even started a disciplined practice of martial arts.” His interests were varied and enjoyable. He did not limit his creative interests and he was able to develop his skills predominately by self-initiated practice and the desire to excel in them, he said. “To the limited degree that formal training was given, my talents are the result of commitment to the practice.”
Smith returned to creating visual art through painting. “My art application has gotten slower through the circumstances of my life.” He has the use of one arm and works from a wheelchair.
“Each idea of a new painting that I want to create and see come to life is very important to me, as it is my greatest form of communication now. I create my art from a place of generosity so I can share myself with others. I use it as my voice and I love how it helps me ‘speak.’ Creating art gives me feelings of gratitude and joy each time.”
Cane Roots Art Gallery owner Sonia Deane shared her initial connection with Smith:
“A former client spoke of her experience of seeing and enjoying Smith’s art. Smith was living at the Herbert Grigg Home for the Aged on St. Croix. Her request to me was to help him with his artwork. I said, ‘sure’ and thought I could arrange a ‘pop-up’ show as I’ve done previously with some artists.”
When Deane saw photos of Smith’s art, she was inspired to meet him in person and view his body of work. They met at the gazebo on the grounds outside the main building at the Grigg Home.
“I was totally blown away. There were all of these pieces. I was in awe. I could see a series – art of Tortola – also of St. Thomas – artwork of couples. The colors are very vibrant. There is detail of how he remembers things and events.”
Smith’s art brought up memories of Deane’s life growing up in Guyana.
There was the kite-flying piece that jarred her memory of when they would fly kites on Easter Monday for the rising of the Christ Spirit … a huge remembrance of home, she said.
“This exhibit was very important for me. Over the past three years, I have exhibited very, very talented artists with very different skill sets in acrylic, watercolor, collage, and oil, but I was emotionally very connected to Smith’s work.”
Deane felt herself in tune with someone with a known disability — a functioning disability — someone who is creating from a wheelchair and has to move himself around in that wheelchair — and paints using only one arm.
“I felt extremely connected to supporting Smith — that someone who could be so creative and having limitations, yet with his limitations — he has such joy with what he’s doing. Yes! That for me was extremely emotional. I felt very compelled … very moved to make this exhibit happen.”
“Art can be healing,” Deane said. “It can touch upon things that are buried deep inside. And, then you see a piece and it brings stuff up for us, she continued. And, then you wrestle with it. Then, sometimes, it’s pure joy, she exclaimed!”
“For Panto, he remembers his schoolhouse, and he paints about that — his grandmother cooking, and he paints about that — his grandfather on the horse, breaking it in — those are very special connections.”
“There’s this whole connection of we as people and how we learn from people — how we connect to places. Art also connects us. People paint from where they were born and it brings us into that place. Panto’s painting of his Tortola years brings us into that neighboring island, and connects us to St. Thomas where he lived before he was displaced by Hurricane Irma, and to St. Croix where he now lives. So, we have this incredible connection through his art, which is also a universal connection,” Deane said.
Patrick “Panto” Smith Artist Statement
“I use my art, through the patient process of painting, to communicate the words that I would otherwise say. This visual dialogue is my way to make connections of harmony with others through the images that I create as I share my perspective of life.”
Patrick “Panto” Smith Solo Exhibit is open Art Thursday, 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. at Cane Roots Art Gallery, Company Street in downtown Christiansted.
Panto’s art goes through Wednesday, Jan. 8, with a closing reception open to the community from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m.
Gallery hours: Tuesdays through Fridays from noon to 5 p.m. and Saturdays from noon to 4 p.m.
For more information:
canerootsartgallery.com
340-718-4929
