Artist Statement
In my travels, which I call my research and development time, I found myself in the Price, Helper area of Utah on a late summer of 2017. I am drawn to the sometimes severe, subtle value and color changes of the geography of this area. I ran across a field in Hiawatha just after harvest with its rich tones and abundant texture. It inspired this painting of beauty and open space. I also encountered, in the early morning, shadows across a field of wind rowed hay that inspired the smaller plein air painting.
Biography
Gary Ernest Smith has worked in the professional world of art for over 50 years. He received his degrees from BYU and taught there for three years while painting full time. For the next 10 years, he worked with galleries and did commission paintings for the church. He broke into the national art scene with his work in the middle 80’s, where he has had over 300 solo and group shows. His work today resides in museums, corporate, and private collections both nationally and internationally. His rural American background became the focus of his subject matter and took on a symbolic, iconic and even spiritual emphasis throughout his career.
CV
Gary Earnest Smith’s CV