Matt Smith

Matt Smith was born in Kansas City, Missouri, in 1960.  At an early age, he moved to Arizona where he developed his life long connection to the Sonoran Desert and the great outdoors. This was a connection that would eventually influence his decision to paint the landscape. 

In 1985, Smith earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in painting from Arizona State University. Somewhat frustrated with the abstract focus of the program at ASU, he began looking to outside sources for inspiration and guidance. These sources included fellow artists, fine art galleries and museums. This is where his "real" education began.

These days, Matt can often be found painting en plein air from southern Arizona to the Canadian Rockies, from the California coast to the Rocky Mountains. "I appreciate traditional landscape painting and I am inspired by the pristine landscapes of the American West.  I enjoy working in areas where one can travel for miles without seeing the influence of man.  When I paint, I feel I've hit the mark when I've captured a balance between mood, look, and feel."   

Smith's work has won numerous awards throughout his career. Most recently, he received the 2018 Best of Show and Merit Award at the Western Rendevous of Art and the 2018 Artists Choice Award at the Laguna Beach Plein Air Painting Invitational.

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Smith currently lives in Arizona.