Allison Smith describes her work as “a unique combination of studio-based sculpture and social practice via a long investigation of historical reenactment and the role of craft in the construction of national identity.” She attended The New School for Social Research, Parsons School of Design, and Yale University. Smith orchestrates interactive public events that engage participants in explorations of identity and social issues. She also runs SMITHS—a project inspired by the history of general stores as sites for social exchange—in her downtown Oakland storefront, inviting artists to share their skills and stories. Smith has been on the faculty of California College of the Arts in San Francisco since 2008.