Kelly Smith

The overarching theme of my life is to communicate thoughts and feelings through any media in a way that the audience gets it… gets you. I’ve communicated my thoughts and feelings and those of myriad clients through visual art, film, podcasting, marketing and branding, website design, writing, and public speaking.

I began my artistic journey at seven years old, setting up a makeshift gallery at the end of my driveway in Houston, TX—an endeavor quickly shut down by my mother. Despite pursuing a formal education in science and communication, earning degrees from Harvard (B.A. in Biological Anthropology), Tufts (M.S. in Biology), and Johns Hopkins (M.A. in Communication), I ultimately followed my creative instincts, leaving Rice Business School after a year to focus on my art.

Exhibiting under the pseudonym Ana Kelly, I held my first solo show in 2003 and have since showcased my work in four solo exhibitions and fifteen group shows.

My film work includes Dotted Lines, a short film exploring themes of separation and motherhood, which was selected for the Three Rivers Film Festival in Pittsburgh, PA. My experimental film work was also featured in a live performance (31st Chair) with the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra and Attack Theatre.

My contributions to film extend beyond directing. I co-produced the BAFTA Award-winning film Control (2007), a biopic about Joy Division’s lead singer Ian Curtis. I also served as assistant editor for the feature documentary Introducing Brian Broome, which chronicles the life of award-winning author Brian Broome (Punch Me Up to the Gods).

I have worked over the years as a marketing and branding consultant, copyeditor and copywriter, graphic designer, website designer, life and executive coach, and podcast consultant. (I’m really proud to be a jack of all trades! That whole saying is: “Jack of all trades, master of none, but oftentimes better than a master of one.”)

I have worked with startups, established businesses, universities, small-business owners, solo entrepreneurs, and hobbyists. I love all y’all! (Yep, I’m a Texas girl.)

Since 2012, I have been a co-host of Geek Girl Soup, a podcast covering film, television, and pop culture. I always have my podcat (not a misspelling!) by my side when I’m recording… or doing just about anything. You know cats.