Saint Joseph Studio

Nancy Lee Smith, IHM

Artist and Iconographer

Nancy Lee Smith, IHM, a native of St. Louis, Missouri, began her career at Webster College and received her Fine Arts training at Wayne State University in metal sculpture. She received a Master of Divinity from St. John Provincial Seminary in Plymouth, Michigan. Writing icons full-time for sixteen years, her many icons hang in churches and chapels, hospital lobbies and private homes in the Americas and in Europe.

Education

• 1975 Bachelor of Fine Arts, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI
• 1982 Master of Divinity, St. John Seminary, Plymouth, MI
• Two Spiritual Directors' Training Intensives with Jesuits at Guelph, ON, Canada and Oxford, MI
• 1997, 2002, 2005 Apprenticeships with Ksenia Pokrovsky, founding
  member of "Izograph," Iconographers' Society of Moscow, Russia
• 1998 Geometry of icons with Charles Rohrbacher in Portland, OR
• 2000, 2001 Icon workshops with Vladislav Andrejev of St. Petersburg, Russia in New York

Exhibits

• Alphons Gallery, Milwaukee, WI 1999
• "Window into Eternity" world icon exhibit, sponsored by Christians in Visual Arts 2000
• "Heaven on Earth: the Holy Icon Art of Imperial Russia" co-exhibited, Ann Arbor, MI 2001
• Solo exhibit, Bon Secours Spiritual Center, Marriottsville, MD 2002
• "Christian/Buddhist" co-exhibited with Buddhists, Scarab Club, Detroit, MI 2004
• "Mother God" Paintings: Marygrove College, Detroit; Downriver Council Arts, Taylor; and Visitation, Monroe, MI 2005-2006
• National Religious Orders' Exhibit, Baileys Harbor, WI, and, Downriver Council Arts, Taylor, MI 2007
• Bagley Street Gallery, Detroit, MI 2008 "Sacred Art"

Installations

• St. Joseph Parish, Havafjorda, Iceland 1995
• Tabor Retreat Center, Lynchburg, VA 1997
• Sisters of Notre Dame, Rome, Italy 1997
• Religieuse de l'Assomption, Paris, France 1998
• Sisters of St. Francis, Dubuque, IA 1999
• Sisters of Bon Secours, Marriotsville, MD 2000
• Mercy Franciscan Hospital, Cincinnati, OH 2001
• Sisters of Incarnate Word, Cleveland, OH 2001
• Corpus Christi University Parish, Toledo, OH 2002
• Christ the King Parish, Ann Arbor, MI 2002
• Pagani Retreat Center, Oconomowoc, WI 2002
• St. Francis Retreat House, Easton, PA 2003
• Sisters of SS. Cyril & Methodius, Danville, PA 2004
• Our Lady of the Woods, Woodhaven, MI 2004
• Redemptorist House of Studies, New York, NY 2004
• St. Ann Parish, Arlington, VA 2005
• Sisters of Mercy, St. Louis, MO 2005
• Marianella Center, Redemptorists, Dublin, Ireland 2006
• Sisters of the Immaculate Heart of Mary, Monroe, MI 2006

Presentations and Retreats

Topics: The Meaning, Spirituality and Use of Icons. Some of them are:

• Sisters of the Incarnate Word National Gathering in Cleveland, OH
• Sisters of Notre Dame of Rome, Italy, of Chardon and of Toledo, OH, each, respectively
• Trappists (OCSO) of Assumption Abbey, Ava, MO, three times
• Religieuse de l'Assomption, Paris, France
• Sisters of Bon Secours, Glasgow, Scotland; U.S. Conference, Marriotsville, MD
• Sisters of Mercy of St. Louis, MO Province Gathering
• Sisters of St Francis of the Holy Family, Dubuque, IA
• Redemptorists (CSsR) of North America, History Conference for Historians and Archivists,
  Mother of Perpetual Help icon, Oconomowoc, WI
• Redemptorist Formation Conference for four North American Formation Houses, Oconomowoc, WI
• Redemptorist House of Studies, St. Louis, MO
• Sisters of SS. Cyril & Methodius, Danville, PA on St. Alphonsus Liguori
• Sisters of the Immaculate Heart of Mary, Monroe, MI Coordinating Council
• Association of Christian Therapists International Conference Denver, CO
• ACT Canadian Conference, Toronto, ON Canada
• Ecumenical Spiritual Directors' Gathering, Troy, MI
• Numerous Parishes and Dioceses throughout the U.S.
• Episcopal Womens' Midwest Conference presenter, Dearborn, MI