Donde Sueña el Bosque
(Where the Forest Dreams)
by Robert Smith and José Bayro C.
August 7–29
Studio 116 is pleased to present Donde Sueña el Bosque (Where the Forest Dreams), a magical installation of paintings and fiber art by Robert Smith and José Bayro C. Originally from Henderson County, North Carolina, Robert Smith now shares a creative life with José Bayro C. in Puebla, Mexico. Together, they invite viewers into a world where fantasy, nature, and storytelling meet.
Robert’s handcrafted fiber sculptures transform the gallery into an enchanted forest filled with crocheted mushrooms, creatures, and whimsical forms inspired by the natural world. José’s oil paintings expand this dreamlike environment through imaginative landscapes and fantastical scenes.
Together, their work creates a place between reality and fantasy — a world where art invites curiosity, wonder, and connection.
José Bayro C. Artist statement
My work focuses on the human figure, material, and visual memory. I engage in both painting and sculpture, driven by an interest in the presence of the body and its relationship with history and the present. I do not seek to depict narrative scenes but to create images that convey tension, movement, and emotion.
In painting, I use layers, gestures, and contrasts of light to generate depth and dynamism. The figure appears, transforms, or fragments, depending on the working process. The pictorial material is fundamental; every mark and overlay contributes to the final meaning of the piece.
In sculpture, I am interested in volume as an active form. The pieces retain the traces of the process and avoid idealization. I work with the body and its fragments as physical structures that occupy space and engage directly with the viewer.
My work maintains a constant relationship with artistic tradition, especially with the Baroque, understood as a visual and formal reference rather than mere imitation. From this standpoint, I address current themes, striving for the work to be experienced directly, without closed interpretations, thereby allowing the viewer freedom of analysis.
José Bayro C. Professional Overview
José Bayro C., born in 1960 in Cochabamba, Bolivia, studied architecture at the National Autonomous University of Mexico and earned a Master's degree in painting from the San Carlos Academy. He has furthered his education taking classes and diploma courses in monumental ceramics, engraving, lithography, screen printing, image post-production, sculpture, philosophy and cultural management.
Bayro C. has exhibited his work in galleries and museums across Mexico, Bolivia, the United States, France, Canada, and Italy, and participated in biennials in Puerto Rico, France, Mexico, and Peru, as an invited artist. His work has been discussed by notable critics, including Juan Acha, Jorge Zabala, and Carlos Monsiváis.
He served on the jury for the National Fund for Culture and the Arts (FONCA/Mexico) in the Young Creators Scholarship program in 1998. He has published several books, including "Distorsión de los valores en fuga" (2010), "El trompo" (2013), "Urdimbre de porcelana en XX briosos latidos" (2019), and "Bayro Barroco" (2022). Bayro is also the benefactor of the Bayro Corrochano Children's Drawing Biennial in Bolivia and Mexico.
His work forms part of public collections at institutions such as the Academy of San Carlos, the University Cultural Complex in Puebla, the International Museum of the Baroque, and the National Museum of Art in La Paz, as well as private collections globally. José Bayro C. currently resides in Puebla, Mexico. @josebayroc
Robert Smith Artist Statement
In the quiet corners of our minds, where memories and fantasy intertwine, lies a world waiting to be explored. My work is a journey through this landscape, where the whispers of forests, the beauty of flora, and the intrigue of fungi come alive, echoing the warmth and wonder of childhood tales.
Each piece reflects the emotions we carry—nostalgia, innocence, and our deep connection with nature. Like Christopher Robin in the Hundred Acre Wood, I'm drawn to the magic of the everyday, uncovering hidden stories in rustling leaves and dappled sunlight.
In this space, nature's flora and fauna become characters in a larger narrative, inviting viewers to step into a realm where imagination thrives. Each piece serves as a portal to reconnect with childlike wonder, reminding us that every encounter with nature is filled with magic. I invite you to wander with me and discover the beauty of our shared experiences.
Robert Smith Professional Overview
Born in 1958 in North Carolina, Robert Smith pursued his high school education in the visual arts at NCUA, High School Visual Arts Program as a Sandford Scholarship winner. He earned a cum laude degree in Fashion Design from the Fashion Institute of Technology, SUNY, supplemented by studies in knitwear design in England and textile engineering in North Carolina. In New York, he worked in textile product design for leading companies before relocating to Mexico in the late 1980s, where he contributed to firms like Grupo Lev S.A. de C.V. and Dayan's Comercial.
As a prominent educator, Smith directed the Bachelor’s Degree Program in Textile Design at the Universidad Iberoamericana Puebla for a decade, while also providing lectures and workshops across Latin America and Spain. Currently, he balances his roles as a visual artist and part-time educator, collaborating with visual artist José Bayro C. on international projects.
His artwork has been featured in multiple solo and group exhibitions, including the Puebla Biennial of Contemporary Art and the SIART International Art Exhibition in Bolivia. @robertsmithvisual