Clayton-Smith completed a BFA in Painting at NAS in Sydney in 2014. 2015 marked her first solo exhibition, Spirit Level at Alaska Projects. In 2024 she staged her ninth solo presentation, Holesum with Chalkhorse in Sydney. She has also participated in numerous group shows at; AGNSW, Te Uru Waitakere Gallery, Goulburn Regional Gallery, Louis Vuitton, Coma Gallery, Nasha, The Honeymoon Suite, Blindside, Gallery 9, Cross Art Projects, and the Study Centre for Drawing.

She is a recipient of the National Art School's Parker's Painting Award, Blank Canvas Award for Painting, the John Olsen Prize for Drawing and was a finalist in the Sulman Prize in 2018 & 2023.

Her work is held in several public collections including; Artbank, The Wallace Trust, The Consulate of Sierra Leone, and the National Art School as well as numerous private collections.