Ann Tilley Smith is a native Texan, Master Gardener, and ceramic artist who has been happily “playing in the clay” for more than 45 years. She hand-builds colorful, whimsical, and nature-inspired sculptures for both indoor and outdoor spaces. Her goal is simple: add color and personality to the dull spots—whether they’re in a garden, on a patio, or wherever a splash of character is needed. She often sneaks in found organic materials and, with help from her husband, many of her pieces end up perched on welded metal structures he builds.

Ann is informally trained, learning ceramics through trial, error, curiosity, and a fair amount of mess. She started selling her work in Fort Worth, where she and a friend opened Another Idea ceramic studio and gallery. Later, she moved her family to South Padre Island, where she and a group of local artists formed ArtSpace, a non-profit art studio, which is still going strong and serving the public.

Ann works from her Rockport home studio and continues to explore ceramics. She says “if it grows, crawls, or rusts, there’s a good chance it’ll end up influencing a sculpture sooner or later.”