Art of the West digital magazine
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home on 20 wooded acres two years later. The 20-by-24- foot studio was custom designed with a log-railed loft overlooking the family room. “We made some compro- mises when we built the studio,” says the 56-year-old art- ist, noting that the original plan of building it over the garage was nixed in favor of leaving that space for stor- age. The decision to change the plan meant the studio got south light instead of north light, which has turned out well, thanks to a 10-foot overhang that acts as a sun- screen. Augmenting the indirect natural light from the large windows are two skylights and fluorescent lighting. Because the design of the space is A-frame, the walls don’t offer a lot of display space, but the open log-railed walkway just outside the studio accommodates book- cases and rustic wall adornments, making for an inviting entrance to the workspace. Smith describes the studio as strictly utilitarian with its light table, counters, sink, and cutting area. “When I see some of the artist’s studios featured in magazines, they look really impressive,” he says. To the self-described workaholic, who paints from about 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. each day, taking breaks for workouts and meals, his studio serves his purposes nicely. Actually, he says, it is much larger than its four walls, given its wide vistas and strategic vantage points for wildlife watching. 28 ART of the WEST • May/June 2011 “The house itself faces into the trees, and the snow stays here a long time,” Smith says. “We have a spring- fed pond with big boulders around, and moose and bear often come to the pond. I can see all that through the front window from my studio. Sometimes the bears get in the pond, and the waterfowl also come around.” Smith constantly refers to his real studio as the great outdoors, sharing story after story about the wildlife wandering around the property. Recently a small fox paid a visit to the yard, delighting Smith with its antics. “I am constantly looking out the window,” he says. Wildlife right outside the window—what could be more perfect for a guy who has been known for more than a quarter of a century for his realistic wildlife rendi- tions? Smith, a native of Minnesota, grew up in the great outdoors, always on the lookout for wildlife as he canoed the famous Minnesota waters and hiked the backwoods. Following a short stint at the University of Minnesota at Mankato, his hometown, Smith quickly turned to a trade school for more instruction in commercial art. From there he landed a job in commercial art, but the gig was a short one. By his early thirties, Smith was making a name for himself as a wildlife artist. “I worked in oils early on, but then went exclusively to acrylics,” he says of his evolution to the favored medium. “I like working in acrylics, because I do tons of layering