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Maria Smith Williams is an artist, educator, and academic leader with a career spanning over two decades in higher education and the arts.
Maria Jeannine Smith was born in Miami, Florida, on August 22, 1966 to John Andrew Smith and Dianne Saulney Smith.[1][2]
Maria Smith Williams earned her Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) degree from Xavier University of Louisiana in 1987.[3] She continued her academic journey at the University of Notre Dame, where she obtained her Master of Fine Arts (M.F.A.) degree in 1990.[3][4]
Maria Smith Williams has made notable contributions to the world of art as a sculptor. Her career as an independent sculptor, producing both scholarly works and commissions, has spanned over four decades.
Maria Smith Williams received recognition early. While still in high school, she won first place in the NAACP Act-So contest for two years in a row for sculpture in 1983 and 1984.[2]
At the age of 19, she was recognized for sculpting the bust of Gwen Cherry, the first Black woman state legislator in Florida, housed in the Joseph Caleb Center in Miami Florida.[2][5]
In 1987, Maria Smith Williams' work of drawings, prints, sculpture and ceramics was showcased at the Coral Reef Branch Library and other places.[1] Maria Smith Williams' father, John Andrew Smith, is also a sculptor, and they often had art showings together.[2][6][7][8][9] Maria Smith Williams has had her artwork exhibits in several states: Miami, Savannah, Indiana, New Orleans and Kansas.[3]
Maria Smith Williams, an African-American sculptor, is recognized for her creation of a life-size bronze sculpture of Mahatma Gandhi.[2] In 2000, Maria Smith Williams was commissioned to create a life-size of Gandhi for the Durban parks department in Chatsworth Durban in KwaZulu-Natal province in South Africa.[4] The sculpture depicts Gandhi in his early twenties, a crucial phase in his life journey. Smith Williams undertook extensive research, including studying Gandhi's writings, to create a piece that resonates with young South Africans.[4]
Armstrong State University (2002 - 2016)
From 2002 to 2016, Maria Smith Williams served as an Adjunct Instructor at Armstrong State University, located in Savannah, Georgia. Her responsibilities included curriculum development and teaching in various art-related courses, such as Art Appreciation, Three-Dimensional Design, and Ethical Issues in Art.
Rhodes University (1998 - 2001)
Maria Smith Williams took her expertise to South Africa, where she served as a Lecturer and Head of Sculpture at Rhodes University from 1998 to 2001.[4] Her role involved revamping the sculpture curriculum, managing budgets, establishing industry connections, and implementing professional practice programs.
Design Center College of Design (1996 - 1997)
In Johannesburg, South Africa, Maria Smith Williams served as a Lecturer and Co-Director at the Design Center College of Design in 1996-1997. Her responsibilities included staff development, academic supervision, course leadership, and senior dissertation supervision.
Savannah College of Art and Design (1990 - 1995)
At the Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD), Maria Smith Williams spent two years as a professor teaching various art courses.[3][6][7] Her leadership extended to academic roles as the Dean of Studio Arts, where she supervised multiple studio department heads, and Dean of Special Programs, where she initiated interdisciplinary programs and managed galleries and exhibitions.[3][10][11]
Maria Jeannine Smith married Kean Williams on August 22, 1993 in Savannah, Georgia.[11] They divorced in 2011. Maria Smith Williams died after a brief illness on August 3, 2020 in New Orleans, Louisiana. She was 53 years old.
