Brady Smith: (Don’t be embarrassed by) your trouble with living

Jeffco Alumni Exhibition - Brady Smith

(Don’t be embarrassed by) your trouble with living

The Arvada Center welcomes back Brady Smith who began his artistic career in the Arvada Center’s Jefferson County High School Art Exhibition. Smith attended Arvada West High School from 2003-2006 and went on to receive his Bachelor of Fine Arts from BYU-Idaho and an MA at Sotheby’s Institute of Art-London. Now a talented professional artist, he returns this spring to exhibit a thoughtful collection of works exploring struggles with suicide from individual and societal perspectives.

Despite reports that 10 million adults in the US have serious thoughts of suicide each year, talking about this topic continues to remain taboo. The aim of this exhibition first and foremost is to make a space where a healthy dialogue can happen. Smith draws on his own experience with this topic, stating:

“Suicidal ideation is something I have struggled with for the majority of my life, and it wasn’t until I learned to be transparent about it that I began to work on combating those feelings. Through drawing, painting, and other media, I strive to pass along skills that have helped me talk to others with this shared experience and to assist those who don’t struggle with suicidal thoughts to better understand and relate to those who do. My hope is that regardless of your experience with the subject, you will come away from this exhibition feeling less embarrassed by the struggle with suicide.”

Events

Opening Reception: Friday, April 10, 6-9 p.m.

Exhibition Discussion with artist Brady Smith and mental health professional Corry Smith: Saturday, April 25, 10:30am

About the Jeffco Schools Foundation High School Art Exhibition

For 49 years the Jeffco Schools Foundation High School Art Exhibition has encouraged and supported tomorrow’s artists from the Jefferson County school district, many of whom go on to thrive as professional artists and art teachers themselves. For over four decades, the Jeffco Public Schools and the Arvada Center have partnered in presenting this popular and inspiring student art exhibition that features more than 400 works from 23 Jeffco high schools. The always-impressive collection of student art, exhibited in the Arvada Center’s 6,000 square foot Main Gallery, includes works in traditional disciplines as well as pieces created using new technologies. There is no other high school exhibition like it in the region with the same caliber, diversity, and quality of art.