Autobiography:
About the artist/writer, Paula S. Smith (Ida Mae Asbury): graduated from Miami University in August, the same day as her parents celebrated their 25th Wedding Anniversary. In Lazarus' Advertising Department in Columbus, Ohio, she progressed from Assistant Production Manager to Retoucher, to Home Artist, to Fashion Artist, to a Supervisor: Layout Artist - Finish Artist. Her freelance business, Collage, began in 1977. She received a Masters in Art Education in 1984 and began teaching art from 1986 at Princeton High School in Cincinnati, Ohio, for the next 21 years. Theater arts membership from 1986 included Black Cultural Productions (television), Oxford Community Theater, Hamilton Civic Theater, and Footlighters when she danced and sang. In 1990 she returned to Oxford to live with her mother, Sarah, and returned to her home church, Bethel AME. She enjoyed drawing and singing jazz, rock and roll, country music, and writing. In 1990 (+3 more years) Paula was chosen by her students for Who's Who Among American Teachers. Honors in 2006 included National Honor Roll's Outstanding American Teachers and in 2010-11 Cambridge Who's Who recognized her as an executive, professional, and entrepreneur of that year and an honored member the next.
Her business, Collage, is still functioning; the art in stock includes black and white prints, full-color watercolor prints, original drawings, paintings (acrylic and watercolor), landscapes, and Third World subject matter. Miss Smith believes that in all life and art, whether in subject matter or media, there can be joy in the "doing" and the partnership of discovery.
Book synopsis:
Gripe Night is the story of how my father and mother developed and implemented the fair hearing of family disputes. How these affected different family members is included within the booklet. I hope that families will enjoy this small window into the life of the author and can use this as a small piece building peace within family life.
