Artist Philosophy...

“Betty Nance Smith considers art to be a celebration of life and a gift to be shared. A native of northern New Mexico, she shares her love of life through her paintings, which reveal a rich sense of light and color. Her masterful brushstrokes give even the most common objects a hitherto unnoticed richness and beauty.”   From article by Kathleen McMullen, originally published in Decor & Style Magazine, July, 2006.

Painting has evolved for me from a talent to be used to a gift to be shared. The very act of painting seems a God given gift to me although I work very hard. The question, “Why am I an artist?” leads me to a conviction that each piece has a purpose. My oils have the probability of making someone happy or even filled with joy and peace, from the on-lookers who go away smiling, to the person who chooses to claim the gift as their own. In this world where life seems so ugly and tough in many arenas, that can be quite a gift indeed.

There are so many things in life to be celebrated, even when things get very tough. If I can make someone who sees or owns a painting even half as happy as I was when I painted it, the gift has been well used.

I invite you to journey through my creations with a sense of celebration… and a sense that beauty can be found in many expected and unexpected places with the proper illumination and desire to seek it.

Betty Nance Smith