BUSINESS
Changing His View of the World
There’s an old Morehouse College adage that says, “You can tell a Morehouse man, but you can’t tell him much.” Simply put, this statement is a way of explaining the positive qualities that Morehouse men should possess.
Morehouse graduate Tony Smith fully exemplifies such distinction. A self-described artist-social worker who left the corporate world to follow his passion, Smith volunteers his time and vast knowledge instructing children and adults about photography at Kenwood Academy, Little Black Pearl and the Youth Service Project.
When asked why he devotes so much time to the community, Smith responded, “By working with adults and kids, [I get] a chance to hone [my] skills — by teaching, [I] become a better artist.”
A skilled photographer, Smith also spends time developing his commercial photography firm, DesignSmith. His latest showing is a flower series.
Influenced by artists like Georgia O’Keeffe, Robert Mapplethorpe and Gordon Parks, Smith’s flowers are from Africa and his use of dark/light creates an exotic landscape. The series is a departure from his usual commercial work, which includes architecture and nudes.
While managing his time between his students and the firm can be difficult, the Morehouse man takes it all in stride. He purports that the two appointments combine to help him share his talent through important outlets.
“[I] get a chance to share [my] gift,” he says. “What’s important to me is my ability to share my gift and help preserve the arts.” –tbinns
