'Tree' Smith photos showcased in Belfair

Kirk Boxleitner | Jun 02, 20220

Teresa Smith count

Two months after Barbara Treick's art wall at Belfair Self-Storage showcased multimedia artist Alice Durrie, that same space is devoted in June to Durrie's wife, professional photographer Teresa "Tree" Smith.

Durrie described Smith as her artistic "muse," and the feeling is mutual. Smith characterized their relationship as "symbiotic," in which each one's artistic pursuits thrive because of the other.

"We encourage and support each other in the practice of our crafts," Smith said. "I'm able to do what I do because she believes in me."

Smith dislikes hearing people dismiss themselves as "not artistic." For her, the key to art starts with learning to look at the world around you in a more attentive way.

Even in her own half-begun artistic pursuits, as when she took painting classes from Shirley Cooper, she's learned vital lessons that she encouraged others to apply to their own fledgling attempts at art. Perhaps the most important lesson is to just begin, because "You can always begin again."

Even if a particular painting or photograph doesn't work, Smith learned it could serve as the background of her next image.While Smith's professional photography since 1998 has focused more on school and youth league sports, her more personal photography provides her with a more meditative experience, even if she does sometimes have to schedule time for it.

"I'm not apt to carry my camera with me everywhere I go, but I do plan photo field trips," Smith said. "That way, if I see something in particular that catches my eye, as I'm walking along a river or down a city street, I can follow that nudge and get my camera out."

As one of half a dozen siblings, Smith's interest in photography was sparked by a camera she received as a present in grade school, which she soon put to good use in capturing the landscapes and vistas of her childhood state of Utah - sunsets and sunrises to the flows of creeks through valleys and how the trees grew spare during the winters.

From that simple cartridge camera to the digital equipment she uses today, Smith appreciates how advances in technology have allowed her to work with images.

"I only play with that manipulation a little bit, though," Smith said. "I'm actually all over the map, visually speaking. I like capturing nature scenes, but I also dabble in more abstract work. I suppose serenity is one of my recurring themes. Once, I photographed a boat on the water in the evening. It was so calm, the water was as smooth as glass."

Smith is a self-confessed "sunset chaser," seeking "the sweet light" of afternoons and evenings, but even after she captures what she might initially believe are the images she was aiming for, she takes those photos twice, lest she miss anything.

"I strive to see everything in the frame," Smith said. "You should always look harder, to see the picture within the picture. I remember taking a photo of spawning salmon, and the final image I wound up focusing on was a drop of water and a fin."

Those interested in Smith's art can contact her at [email protected], in addition to swinging by her display in Belfair Self-Storage at 23270 NE state Route 3. Her on-site reception kicks off at 2 p.m. on June 12, and those interested in learning more about Belfair Self-Storage's art wall can call Treick at her office at 360-275-2257, or email her at [email protected].