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Matt Smith
Matt Smith was born in Kansas City, Missouri, and moved with his family to Scottsdale, Arizona, as a young child. During his grade school years the family lived two years in Toulouse, France, and when in high school they spent a year in Geneva, Switzerland. His travels in these and various other countries including Italy, Germany, Austria and Spain, exposed him to the work of many of the great masters. This stimulated his interest in art and was a contributing factor in what was to become his life-long commitment to painting.
In 1985, Smith graduated from Arizona State University with a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in painting. Spending several months a year traveling, he frequently visits museums around the country and has assembled an extensive library of art books. This connection to actual subjects enables him to paint landscapes from direct observation during all seasons which reinforces both his plein aire and studio work.
Matt Smith has received prestigious recognition for his work including the Robert Lougheed Award at the Prix de West Invitational, National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma; the “Red” Smith Award at the Western Visions Miniature Show, National Museum of Wildlife Art, Jackson Hole, Wyoming; and both Best of Show and Artistic Merit Awards at the Western Rendezvous of Art, Helena, Montana. Each of these awards resulted from voting by artists participating in the shows.
He has had several one man shows in Arizona, New Mexico, Wyoming, Colorado, and Texas, and has participated in numerous major shows including the Prix de West Invitational, Artists of America, Western Rendezvous of Art, and the Masters of the American West at the Autry National Center. His work has been featured in many publications including Art of the West, Southwest Art, Art Talk, American Artist, and International Artist. Smith teaches several workshops a year.
He lives and maintains his studio in Scottsdale, Arizona.
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