Artist Feature: Corinne Smith

At the beginning of 2022 we launched our Artist Partnership program, a project designed to highlight diverse artists whose work reflect unique perspectives on life. Their designs are featured on the inside of our box to represent our goal of making healthcare more affordable, accessible, and inclusive. A new, limited-edition artist design is now available with your Wisp order!

Our third artist collaboration is on the books! We’re delighted to introduce you to Corinne Smith (She/They) AKA Critty Smitty! Critty is an Oakland-based Black, Queer, multimedia artist and designer exploring the cultivation of joy and embodiment amidst sadness, grief, loss and the mysteries of inherent (un)knowing. In addition to creating our newest box design, they also created a painting during our live fundraising event in Miami, FL to raise money for comprehensive sex education and abortion accessibility in collaboration with SIECUS and the Abortion Freedom Fund!

Critty is extremely passionate about community and collective care and wellness for all walks of life. She loves working with and gaining inspiration from the mundane and magical coexistence of beauty and darkness in the natural world around us. This inspiration is infused in their artwork as well as through their work with the supportive properties of herbs and flowers. We took this opportunity to ask her where she stands on art, health, and creativity.

How do you define health?

I identify health as feeling at peace and in tune with my body, mind and spirit despite any chronic or external limitations that may impact that. The definition of health to me is deeply holistic. If I’m not taking care of my mental and/or spiritual health, I feel very real and intense physical symptoms, and vice-versa. It’s about being honest with myself, advocating for my rights with medical professionals (if needed), leaning into support (friends, family, plants, pets) and making time for joy, rest and connection. Health to me is also trusting the knowledge it’s shown me throughout my life and treating it with the utmost care and compassion I can.

How do you stay healthy (however you define it)?

I stay healthy by listening to my body and mind. If I need rest, I rest. If I’m hungry, I eat. If I’m thirsty, I drink. If I need levity, I spend time with friends, make art, tend to my garden, or sometimes (okay, maybe a bit too often) I’ll veg out and watch my favorite shows or listen to my favorite podcasts. If I’m feeling overstimulated, I take some alone time to get back into my body. Life, especially lately, feels extremely hectic, unpredictable, and frankly, scary. Finding the balance of staying informed while not leaning too far into the doom and gloom has been very necessary for my health. There are so many lovely things happening around us despite some of the more troublesome things to work through.

What roles do art and creativity play in keeping you happy and healthy?

Art and creativity is integral for my spiritual and emotional health. Outside of projects and collaborations with others creativity is brewing inside of me at all times. I use art to help express emotions that are too difficult for words. I use art to imagine or reimagine spaces and places. I think creatively in how I make food, in how I dress and how I show up for others. Art and creativity is the deepest most sacred form of my personal expression.

##What big things, topics, or ideas inspire you? What are you inspired by day-to-day?

Some big things that inspire me are interconnectedness, color, working with the unknown and the supportive properties of plants.

You can find more of Critty’s work via their website, www.crittysmitty.com, on IG @crittysmitty and publicly via their murals in Oakland and San Francisco. You can also find their work at Witness, www.witness-oakland.com, their shop and creative space in Downtown Oakland.

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