Mom Tried

Myles Smutney (b. 1983) is a Brooklyn-based artist exploring the darker side of beauty through her silkscreen prints, pen-and-ink illustrations and mixed-media installations. Born and raised in Chicago, she received her training through brief interludes at both SAIC in Chicago and SVA in New York City, followed by a partial tattoo apprenticeship. Borrowing from the iconography of classic tattoo flash and punk rock subculture, Smutney endorses a homegrown, D.I.Y. attitude. She examines themes of mortality through reoccurring imagery, such as picturesque roses, expressive skeletons, and striking women. These momento moris embody the fragile and fleeting nature of life. But all is not bleak in Smutney’s universe; symbols of fortune, strength, and eternal love are woven into her compositions. She dabbles in fashion, collaborating with designers, participating in live screen printing events, and fabricating her designs on new and repurposed clothing. Currently, she is celebrating her work reinterpreting the 1940s pin-up girl for her 2010 calendar,"Nuthin' But Trouble". Smutney has shown her work at TRUST Gallery, StupIDAESy, and among others with the SPACE 1026 Collective. Having created installations for Urban Outifitters, Quimby’s Bookstore, and Una Mae’s Freak Boutique. She has recently completed the "Culture Vulture" t-shirt design for Against Me! as well as several illustrations for Pabst Blue Ribbon. She is currently co-curating a tarot inspired show with Ana Maria Cerniglia of Johalla Projects alongside Heather Gabel, with whom Smutney will release a 2012 calendar with.