Betty Nance Smith is an award winning member of the prestigious Oil Painters of America, and her work is shown in New Mexico exclusively at La Posada de Santa Fe. She paints from life and is known for her still life paintings of florals, fruits and vegetables as well as her sensitive, old-world portraits of children.
“I describe myself as a ‘painterly realist’. The way that I paint is very natural to me. I love the sensation of just seeing, taking in, and letting the images flow through my brushstrokes. More and more I simply create, and that is a treasured bonus to this incredible gift I have been given.”
Her knowledge of the way light shows through glass, touches a juicy fruit, or penetrates a flower petal enhances all her work. A backlit leaf branch with sun touched tips of grass can bring the artist incredible joy. This love of nature and simple things further translates in her set-ups which create small stages for the natural colors and patterns the artist so enjoys painting.
For Ms. Smith, light and space define the objects she paints, and color is the essence of her work. The artist’s skills at perfecting her strong compositions laced with light explain why her work is in such demand.
Her old masters style brushwork helps viewers focus on intricately painted areas while unifying and simplifying the rest of her composition in their minds.
Rarely are Betty Nance Smith’s paintings thought out ahead of time, but as one painting is finished, a new idea often is in the works and the artist is anxious to move on. The smallest beauty can inspire a glorious painting by this modest yet exceptional American artist. ‘s
For more information about Betty Nance Smith, please contact the hotel Art Curator, Sara Eyestone at 505-954-9668 or extension 7668.
