What’s New at RiverWoods

Riverview Manor Holds Art Exhibit Featuring Mary Ellen Smith

November 19, 2007

On October 25, residents and employees had the opportunity to view the talents of Mary Ellen Smith, a resident of Riverview Manor Assisted Living Facility, on the campus of RiverWoods Senior Living Community.  Mrs. Smith became interested in the becoming an artist when she was in the first grade.  It was at this early age that she drew a clown on the blackboard, and her teacher was so favorably impressed that “she called all the other teachers in to look at it,” Mary Ellen remembers.  A few years later, she took to sketching  The Campbell Soup Kids on the backs of old hotel menus that her father brought home from his workplace.  It was those ruddy-cheeked, robust-looking kids, with the round innocent eyes and wholesome expressions that finally evolved into the personable little dough figures that Mary Ellen refers to as dough babies.  After graduating from high school, Mary Ellen attended Williamsport Area Community College and Lycoming College.  Mrs. Smith became well known for her oils, watercolors, chalk and charcoal drawings, batik work, and stoneware figurines. When Mrs. Smith attempted her first dough art in her home, her husband asked if they were good to eat.  The answer was, and is ‘no’ unless one fancies a mixture of flour, salt and water. 

The recipe for dough is simple:  4 cups of flour, 1 cup of salt and ¾ cup of water.  The mixture is kneaded for several minutes, then formed into the desired shapes.  Once the shapes are formed, the dough is baked in a 300 degree oven for 30 minutes to an hour.  Then they are left in the oven with the heat of the pilot light for about two days to continue the drying process.  After that the figurines are varnished.  These have been in display in many areas over the years.

Mrs. Smith is very proud of the fact that she was the first woman president of the Bald Eagle Art League of Williamsport.  She has received many first place awards and honorable mentions over the years.  Mary Ellen holds a juried member status of the Pennsylvania Guild of Craftsmen.  Mrs. Smith has three children:  two daughters and a son, all of which have interests in the arts to this day.