©Heather Evans Smith, Puzzle, 2023

I thought Easter might be a good day to celebrate Heather Evans Smith’s new monograph, Skipping Sundays. As the world spins into crisis, we are all questioning our faith, our country, and our humanity.  Skipping Sundays takes a metaphoric look at religion, where faith no longer feels like a given. It exists within a landscape of contradiction and uncertainty.  Institutions that once offered certainty are questioned, and belief itself has become entangled with politics, power, and division. For many of us, belief is an ongoing struggle to reconcile what we are told with what we experience.

Skipping Sundays is Smith’s 4th monograph.

An interview with the artist follows.

˙Heather Evans Smith, Skipping Sundays Book Cover

Heather Evans Smith, Skipping Sundays Book Spread

©Heather Evans Smith, Book Contents from Skipping Sundays

©Heather Evans Smith, Book Pocket from Skipping Sundays

Skipping Sundays

“How many of you have been saved?” the preacher shouted at a church event. The congregation promptly raised their hands. Not wanting to be the sole individual with my hand down, I slowly raised mine to join theirs. Why had this magical experience not happened to me? I desired to comprehend why faith held a deeper meaning for them beyond attending Sunday services, for that was the extent of its significance for me.

As a young adult, I ventured out on my own, skipping Sundays, yet the questions persisted. One evening, I found myself in the living room of one of my spiritual friends. “How do you believe?”, I asked. She responded with unwavering confidence, “You simply must pray for it. You just gotta have faith. That’s all.” Following her advice, I prayed earnestly, hoping for a transformative experience. However, nothing seemed to change. Over time, these inquiries faded into the background, but they never completely disappeared. They would resurface during significant life events, such as the birth of a child or the loss of a parent. Despite my efforts, I still felt as though I was merely going through the motions, lacking this profound connection that others seemed to possess.

Often, doubters choose to keep their thoughts hidden. This decision can lead to a profound sense of isolation, especially when surrounded by individuals steadfast in their beliefs. These images delve into the memories of those bygone Sundays and my lifelong pursuit of finding answers. How is it that some can wholeheartedly embrace traditional faith while the rest of us are left questioning?

©Heather Evans Smith, All That My Arms Can Hold, 2024

When designing the book for Skipping Sundays, I wanted it to evoke the feeling of a hymnal found tucked away in the back of a church pew. I replicated the burgundy fabric cover and gold foil printing on a hymnal that belonged to my mother-in-law. I sourced vintage illustrations from old Sunday school ephemera, modifying them to fit the themes in the book. My intention was for this book to look like a moment frozen in time. At the back, I included a pocket containing a vintage calendar from 1987 (the year of my confirmation), a bookmark, a church fan, and a reproduction of a “We Missed You” postcard from Sunday School.

Self-Published April 2026
Hardcover, 8.5 x9.25 inches
84 pages / 30 color images
Printed and bound at Conveyor Studios
979-8-218-86153-7
Edition of 250
$65 USD

To purchase:  https://www.heatherevanssmith.com/skippingsundaysbook

©Heather Evans Smith, Since I Was Last There, 2023

Tell us about your growing up and what brought you to photography...

 As an only child in a rural area, I turned to my imagination to entertain myself. I even started conceptual photography at this early age, taking photos of my cats with props. Looking back, I believe this type of childhood fostered my creativity. I continued exploring my love for photography in college, taking black and white darkroom classes, but ended up with a career in graphic design. Almost 10 years later I would dive into photography again but this time it grew into a new career path.

©Heather Evans Smith, Stopping Point, 2024

Congratulations on your 4th monograph! I was interested to learn that you have self-published your last three books. What brought on that decision?

Cost was the motivator to self-publish. During Covid, I gave self-publishing a try with my Alterations book. Having a background in graphic design, I thought, why not handle everything myself? I quickly managed to break even and started making a little profit. This gave me the flexibility to adjust the book’s pricing. Whenever I speak at colleges, I always offer discounts to students. I can print in smaller editions to get a feel for demand. While I realize my reach isn’t comparable to that of a publisher, this method works effectively for me, and I truly enjoy being a part of the entire process.

©Hearth Evans Smith, 5. Stay Still, 2024

You always create such wonderful presentations that go along with the book. I remember receiving your book, Alterations, and being blown away with all the thoughtful elements that came with the book–wrapped in old Vogue Patterns, the Alterations ticket, etc. Can you speak about these extras?

Those extra touches are my favorite aspects to contemplate and execute. I want the package to be an experience that reflects the work. The alterations department where my grandmother worked was always a jumble of loose buttons and spools, so it seemed fitting for the shipping box to be filled with these loose items. For the special editions of the Blue book, I incorporated pressed blue flowers, blue pills, and occasionally ballerinas and hair clips that you could find hidden in the images in that series.

©Heather Evans Smith, Cross, 2023

I was also impressed that you invited a panel of therapists to your Blue exhibitions–such an important subject to highlight in the world today.

 The Blue series was a response to my own depression until I started to receive feedback from women on Instagram who resonated with the work. That opened me up to the possibilities of what I could do with this series beyond just photos on a wall. The first time it was shown, Frank Konhaus from Cassilhaus and I had a therapy day where we collaborated with the local arts therapy institute and invited 20 therapists to come see the work and brainstorm how it could be beneficial for their clients. At Florence Marion University, we held a panel discussion with other professionals in the gallery to address mental health among women. I recently presented the work at a conference that focused on the health of multi-cultural communities. Art can serve as a bridge to help dismantle the stigma surrounding mental health.

©Heather Evans Smith, Assimilate, 2024

Your work often features very cool ephemera that works so perfectly with your subjects. Are you on eBay or Etsy or do you fine props locally.

I love Etsy and eBay for sourcing props. Sometimes just a simple search on one of those sights can lead me to items that spark an idea. There’s also a local place that has remnants of fabric and wallpaper. I create sets in parts of my home that have the lighting I seek, so I need to modify those areas with carpets and backdrops to craft a different world.

©Heather Evans Smith, Likeness, 2025

Who or what inspires you?

Looking back at my recent work, I see that the human condition is a huge source of inspiration for me, and I’m always looking for artistic ways to express that. My style is deeply rooted in the past. I pay attention to color and how it connects to different periods or feelings. Sometimes, a memory alone can spark creativity, and an old advertisement, song, or film can inspire how I depict that memory in an image.

©Heather Evans Smith, 1987, 2023

Are you doing any book signings or exhibitions coming up? Do you have ways to distribute the book?

I am having a book release event this April. I was lucky enough to find an old church that now serves as an event space. Instead of a conventional exhibition, I will be creating a unique one-night experience filled with live music, candlelight, and select images that echo the stories within the book. If you are in the Triangle North Carolina area please join us on April 18th from 7-9 PM at the Eno Artists Den in Hillsborough, NC. Doors will open at 7:00 PM, with live music followed by an artist talk starting at 7:30 PM. The Eno House Artist’s Den is located at 903 Eno St. Hillsborough, NC 27278.

Currently I am distributing the book directly on my website.

©Heather Evans Smith, Dust, 2025

©Heather Evans Smith, When Will This Feeling Go Away, 2023

Heather Evans Smith is a North Carolina photo-based artist whose work reflects her southern roots, motherhood, womanhood and a whimsical imagination she relied on as an only child in a rural town. Her photographic imagery explores the ideas of memory, loss and family in conceptual settings.

Smith’s work has been featured in publications including The New York Times and Oxford American and exhibited in venues such as the Fox Talbot Museum in Lacock, England, and the Nasher Museum of Art at Duke University. She is a Critical Mass Top 50 recipient (2014, 2018, 2021, and 2024), a 2022 Silver List artist, and the recipient of the CENTER 2022 Me&Eve Grant.

Her first monograph, Seen Not Heard, was published by Flash Powder Projects in 2016, followed by two self-published monographs, Alterations and Blue. Her latest monograph, Skipping Sundays, will be published in April 2026.

Instagram: @heatherevanssmith