THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SUNDAY, June 19, 1994 TAG: 9406160190
SECTION: CAROLINA COAST PAGE: 36 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: Nancy McWilliams
DATELINE: 940619 LENGTH: Medium
``I want something to do with my hands at all times,'' Ila Smith said. That desire is fulfilled when she paints amazingly detailed acrylics of animals and imaginary creatures, or carves wood sculptures so full of character and humor Smith calls them her ``adult toys.'' The brightly painted whimsical series features such items as a dragon letter holder and a blue bunny bank.
{REST} Almost anyone traveling to Hatteras Island or Ocracoke has seen Smith's remarkable prints, for she distributes the black and white works throughout the lower Outer Banks. Birds are a favorite subject, and she tries to ``capture the essence and feel'' of what she is painting, not just give a photographic-style portrayal. Her pelicans, willets, sandpipers and turtles persuade the viewer to study overall effect made by the thousands of minute lines she painstakingly puts in.
Animals have always been Smith's preference for subject matter. As a young girl, inspiration came from frequent trips to the zoo and summers at an aunt's farm. Both Ila and Ray are natives of Pittsburgh and graduates of Carnegie-Mellon. Ila majored in ceramics and Ray in painting and design. Both taught art for a while.
In Pennsylvania, the couple worked together creating outdoor sculptures for public buildings. Memorable projects included a 12-foot terra cotta statue at a church, a five-foot ceramic tile map of Pennsylvania and many bar and restaurant murals. ``We're a team,'' Ila said. ``We've always done things together.'' Throughout their 45-year marriage, they have been each other's best art critic. Ray said, ``She can't do what I do and I can't do what she does.''
In the past, Ray has drawn excellent portraits, and he favors painting above other methods of creativity. After completing a new home to replace the one lost in the hurricane, he built himself a new studio out back.
Ila prefers to work at the kitchen table so she can take frequent breaks to do other things.
After bringing their two daughters here for family vacations and purchasing property in Frisco, the Smiths decided to leave the big city behind and head south. When they first arrived on the Outer Banks they ``starved for five years,'' Ila recalled. Ray worked odd jobs and Ila was employed in retail shops; then Ray came into demand for his architectural design work, and he's been busy ever since.
Nestled in the quiet woods of Frisco, Ila is strongly influenced by nature in her work. ``I have no idea what inspires me; I just want to do it,'' she commented.
Laughingly, she called herself ``a master doodler.'' Because she uses the tiniest brushes available, Ila achieves a pen and ink look to her paintings.
The amount of time it takes to finish a piece is often 500 to 1,000 hours. While she is happy to sell the prints, she keeps the originals for herself.
Both Ila and Ray stressed that becoming good at art takes discipline and hard work. ``Doing this is not a joy all the time,'' Ray said. Yet, both said they could not imagine their lives without art. Ila, 67, and Ray, 74, say they will continue to work hard and use their creativity. `` I have no goals or preconceived ideas,'' Ila said. ``This is just what I do and what I'll alwys do.''
For Ray, architecture is the mainstay now. He has designed many homes, and recently the new Catholic church in Buxton, and is helping prepare for the Graveyard of the Atlantic Museum. His dream is to find more time for painting.
by CNB