ABOUT

Welcome to Smithwick House!

As a child, I (Amy) spent most of my time either making music or creating — whether it was with paint, fabric, random bits of trash, pen and paper, or simply with my imagination. We didn’t have much, so I often stood by my mom as she created curtains for our home, crafts to sell at a market, or handmade Christmas gifts for the family. She always made sure every holiday was filled with love and wonder and taught me what it means to make a house into a home. The one thing we always made together were Cornsacs- a family tradition that was most likely born out of a need to keep the heating bill low in the winter. As I grew older, I took over the Cornsac making tradition and have been hand-making and selling these magic bags of warmth for the past 9 years.

Growing up in a home that encouraged me to constantly create inspired the inception of Smithwick House. When Brody and I met, we realized how much we absolutely love Art in all its forms. It is one of the things that brought us together. Books, Music, Food, Gardens, Poetry, and Story are just a few of the dimensions of Art that fill our everyday life in some form or fashion. We wanted a place to not only share the wonder of Cornsacs with the world, but also to share our Art. Check out our stories, music, poetry, recipes, and other joys on our blog!

Our full-time work is with Lion Life, a 501(c)3 non-profit organization that we founded which offers educational services to people without traditional access to it, namely to incarcerated individuals inside of the county jail. We believe education, especially in the Arts, can be a catalyst for Hope. We currently offer programming in GED Certification, English as a Second Language Classes, Continuing Education Preparation, Entrepreneurship, Freedom from Addiction, Music, and Creative Writing. We aim to equip, inspire, and encourage every student who engages in our courses, giving them a chance for a better future. If you would like to find out more about Lion Life Community, donate, or volunteer with us, drop a line HERE!

At Smithwick House, we also offer design services in our Studio including Website Design, Copywriting, Editing, and Brand Development. My love for creating spilled over into the digital world when I began developing websites for Lion Life Community and other personal projects. I have spent time investing in courses to become certified to handle all your online needs well and have been designing for clients for over 8 years. Brody’s experience with spending years perfecting his writing abilities (Ahem, He holds a Bachelor’s in English and a Master’s in Professional Writing!) gives him a unique ability to craft the copy (all the words!) you need to tell your story. We especially love to help non-profits share who they are with the world effectively, in order to help more people! From start to finish, we create everything you need to share your passion with the world. Please contact houseofsmithwick@gmail.com or put a letter in our mailbox if you are interested in our design services!

We are passionate followers of Jesus Christ, and you will find evidence of that here. We owe everything to Him! When we are not creating, we are most likely watching classic films, eating scrumptious food, reading, discussing theology over a good cup of coffee, or dancing with our daughter.

Most importantly, we hope you will find inspiration, hope, + communion when you visit.

We love having you here!

Amy Smithwick is an artist, songwriter, and musician with vast experience in many genres of music. She began her music journey at a young age studying piano, violin, trumpet, and dance. She spent time studying classical voice with Rowena Cowley at the Sydney Conservatorium in Australia, as well as performing as a young artist in the Pacific Opera Company. She also studied songwriting and worship music at Hillsong International Leadership College during her time there. Later, Amy graduated from Kennesaw State University with a Bachelor of Music in Vocal Performance.

After winning the Georgia Music Talent Search and performing on the Georgia Music Hall of Fame Awards Live on PBS, the Atlanta Journal Constitution noted that she "showcased her vocal gifts with an ovation-worthy operatic performance." She also won the Georgia District for the 2018 Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions. Recently, she has toured with the Atlanta Opera Studio, sung with the Atlanta Opera Chorus, and has been the featured soprano soloist for both the Kennesaw State Symphony Orchestra and Georgia Symphony Orchestra. You can find out more about her Classical Music Career HERE.

She is also a part of an indie band called Art and Wick. You can support their music by listening wherever you get your music and following them on social!

Brody Smithwick is a writer. After working as a GED instructor and Chaplain for several years within the jail, Brody began seeing radical change in many of the individuals that came through those programs. He and his wife founded Lion Life with the goal of seeing more of these students equipped to thrive in life. He holds a Bachelor's degree in English from the University of Georgia, as well as a Master’s of Art Degree in Professional Writing from Kennesaw State University where he currently teaches Composition and Rhetoric.

He serves on the board of directors for Cherokee FOCUS, a non profit organization that exists to improve the lives of the children and families of Cherokee County.