At The American University of Florence (AUF), Chanel Smith-Granger recently completed her final year as an undergraduate Cultural Studies student, surrounded by the rich Renaissance history that initially drew her to Italy. Smith-Granger studies art and creates her own sketches, paintings, and sculptures; but she hasn’t always been an artist. 

Throughout her life as a student and artist, there is one question that lingers – What’s next? It’s one she has become quite familiar with. Having spent much of her life moving around the world, it was difficult to find her passions while simultaneously finding a place to call home. 

Born in Grand Blanc, Michigan, her childhood was anything but stationary. From Grand Blanc, she moved to Ontario, then to Spain, Rimini, Italy, Moscow, Russia, Istanbul, Turkey, and ultimately back to Canada. After two years there, the Smith-Grangers moved to Texas. “I always feel like there’s half of me somewhere else.”

Smith-Granger’s earliest memories of Italy—living in Rimini at just six years old—remain some of her happiest. This largely contributed to her return to Italy to complete her undergraduate degree at AUF. “My parents were around my age when they were in Italy. They have all these pictures and stories. It made me feel nostalgic for something I had been to, but didn’t know much about,” she says.

It was this deep-rooted connection to Italy, coupled with her love of art, that eventually led her to Florence. But art wasn’t always what was next for Smith-Granger. “Originally, I studied biology at Texas A&M,” she said. “And I was thinking, what do I really enjoy? Ultimately, it was all the same things I enjoyed when I was five and six, and I decided I needed to find a way to make that work in my life.” Smith-Granger left A&M, packed up her life, and moved to Italy, excited about what was next at AUF. 

Lately, music has been a significant source of inspiration for Smith-Granger. One of her current projects is based on Hozier’s song The Swan Upon Leda, which intertwines mythology with modern themes. Hozier says in the song, ‘The gateway to the world will never belong to angels, and will never belong to men.’ These were the lyrics that inspired the theme of her capstone piece. “Right now, I’ve just started making all the sketches and watercolor studies to figure it all out.” Smith-Granger credits Hozier’s music for deepening her interest in classical literature. 

Smith-Granger reflected on each of her years at AUF as different but special in their own ways. “My first year….it was all the fun classes. I had Florentine walks and a walking sketchbook class. I really loved being outside.. [the classes were] more personal.” Her second and third years required more general education courses, where she learned more about Florentine-specific art and culture. “It was interesting how the professors approached subjects like math, which wasn’t super applicable to us art majors, but they helped us understand it better.” In her final year, she focused on color theory and creative exploration.

Despite her artistic clarity, the uncertainty of the future remains. “I’d say life felt like…and feels like… What’s next? I didn’t have to come up with a good reason for moving when I was a kid, but now I do, because it’s in my hands.”

Yet Florence has taught Smith-Granger to embrace the present. “I’ll figure it out when I get there. Living here has taught me to be more content with where I am in the moment rather than worrying about what’s next. Being here and going to school here has taught [that] everything has nuance,” she explained.

As Smith-Granger moves on from graduation, she discusses her plans for ‘what’s next?’ — “I’d like to go back home, save some money, and work at my local museums. Ultimately, I might end up going back to school for Art Restoration and Conservation. I’d like to dip my toes into different things.”

As she navigates her future as an artist and a creative, she holds onto a simple yet profound lesson: “Find a way to do what you love.”

Through art, Smith-Granger has found not only an outlet for self-expression but also a way to stay grounded despite the uncertainty and adversity that comes with growing up. And in embracing the unknown, she will continue to do what she loves—wherever life takes her next.