Collection: Matt Smith

Matt Smith 

Matt Smith was born in Kansas City, Missouri, in 1960 and moved at an early age to Arizona, where he developed a lifelong connection to the Sonoran Desert and the natural world—a connection that would later shape his landscape painting. During his teenage years, Smith also lived in France for two years and in Switzerland for one year. Visits to Europe’s great museums during this time deepened his appreciation for art and solidified his commitment to a career as a painter.

In 1985, Smith earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in Painting from Arizona State University. Finding the program’s emphasis on abstraction limiting, he sought inspiration and guidance from fellow artists, galleries, and museums, marking the beginning of his “real” artistic education.

Today, Smith is frequently found painting en plein air across a wide range of locations—from southern Arizona to the Canadian Rockies, and from the California coast to the Rocky Mountains. He draws inspiration from the pristine landscapes of the American West, seeking areas where the influence of man is minimal. “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,” he explains.

Smith currently lives in Arizona, continuing to explore and interpret the landscapes that have inspired him throughout his life.