Smith began her work focusing on the human body and later added animal life as a subject. Birds, deer, mice, and, here, a cat have become symbols of the ties between the human and natural worlds. Here the use of translucent handmade paper suggests both the fragility of life and a sense of spirituality; the figures (repeated self–portraits) hold a beloved pet that has died.
Gallery label from Multiplex: Directions in Art, 1970 to Now, November 21, 2007-July 28, 2008.