Tucked behind their home, the Emily Street Shed is more than just a studio — it’s the creative heart of Marie and Ross Smith’s artistic lives. Visitors often have two immediate reactions: shed envy for its size and practicality, and green admiration for its leafy outlook and seamless connection to the garden. Just two steps from the house, the boundary between home and studio life is almost invisible — and the lure to create is irresistible at any hour of the day or night.
A true working studio, the Emily Street Shed is shared by Marie Smith (@mariesmithart) and Ross Smith (@pork_pie_creations). It reflects their complementary practices — Marie’s expressive portraiture and textured acrylic paintings alongside Ross’s intricate wood carvings, sculptures, and creative assemblages.
Every surface tells a story of ongoing creation. The shelves, benches, and walls are filled with completed works and pieces in progress, while years of paint splatters, wax, shellac, and glue mark a space that has earned its creative patina. The studio’s 35-year-old workbench, well-worn and layered with history, remains at the centre of it all.
The shed also plays a vital community role. It’s where Ross developed the Sandgate Men’s Shed’s Famous Flowers, hundreds — if not thousands — of which have been painted here and shared throughout the community. Together, Marie and Ross have made the Emily Street Shed a welcoming, ever-evolving space where art, craftsmanship, and collaboration flourish side by side.
Marie’s work is defined by her love of portraiture and the human form. Whether through painting or sculpture, she strives to capture character, emotion, and individuality—faces and figures are at the heart of her creative expression.
After studying at art school, Marie built a diverse creative career as a graphic designer, screen printer, and sign writer. Upon retiring, she returned to her first love—painting—working in both oils and acrylics before discovering a deep preference for acrylics. Drawn to texture and experimentation, she often uses palette knives and a variety of tools and mediums to create rich, layered surfaces that bring her subjects to life.
Marie’s creative curiosity naturally expanded into sculpture, where she works with papier mâché and wire to craft expressive busts—an extension of her fascination with portraiture. Her shed has become both sanctuary and studio, where she spends countless hours exploring new ideas and techniques.
Marie has exhibited widely, finding exhibitions both rewarding and motivating. She has held four solo exhibitions and participated in numerous group shows, including the 2019 and 2022 group exhibitions. Each year, she contributes to the Sandgate Art Society’s Easter Art Show and has been a fixture of the 4017 Creative Trail for the past five years, opening The Emily Street Shed to the public.
As a long-standing member of the Sandgate Art Society (SAS Art), Marie served as President for three years, during which membership doubled thanks to her commitment to communication and community engagement. She continues to inspire and mentor fellow artists, believing that creative growth comes from both challenge and collaboration.
Awards & Recognition
Ross brings a rich blend of creativity and practicality to his art, shaped by a long executive career in health and aged care management, an enthusiasm for home renovation, and hands-on involvement in his wife Marie’s signwriting business. His extensive travels across Australia and abroad have fuelled a deep appreciation for design, craftsmanship, and the power of community art.
Ross’s artistic journey took a defining turn after attending a spoon carving workshop led by renowned artisan Carol Russell. The intricate carving techniques and finishing processes sparked a passion for woodcraft that opened endless possibilities for experimentation. From this foundation, Ross began carving stylised birds and later developed a growing fascination with automata—combining movement, imagination, and fine craftsmanship.
In the lead-up to the COVID pandemic, Ross joined the Sandgate Men’s Shed, where he saw creative potential in the piles of donated and recycled timber that were otherwise going to waste. What began as an experiment with factory ply offcuts evolved into a much-loved community art project: painted wooden flower spikes. The response was overwhelming, with demand spreading throughout the local area and on social media. This success inspired the creation of larger “Tree Strings,” vibrant painted installations that brought colour and curiosity to the trees around the Men’s Shed.
Today, Ross remains closely connected to the Sandgate Men’s Shed, where members enthusiastically assist in cutting and assembling the flowers and tree installations. The detailed painting is done by Ross and Marie in their Emily Street studio. Together, they have distributed thousands of painted and unpainted flowers—often used as marketing pieces for the Men’s Shed—and, in 2025, introduced bubbles to community events such as Einbunpin and the Bracken Ridge Backyard Bonanza, engaging a wonderfully diverse audience.
Ross is an active supporter of Sandgate Art Society Inc (SAS Art), where he played a key role in the organisation’s incorporation in 2021 and has since served as Secretary and Treasurer for both SAS and the 4017 Bayside Open Studios.
Exhibitions
2024 & 2025 – SAS Easter Art Show (Exhibitor)
2021–2024 – 4017 Bayside Open Studios / Creative Trail (Participant)
2022–2024 – Facets Exhibition, Fairholme College Toowoomba
Awards
2025 – Encouragement Award, SAS Easter Art Show
Emily Street Shed © 2025
Website Design By Kartia Designs
