Michael James Smith

Smith is a young artist with a mature and disciplined approach to his artwork. Son of renowned British landscape artist David Smith, it is no surprise Michael took an interest in painting from an early age. After successfully completing his GCSEs, Michael went on to study Fine Art at Southend College, spending his spare time meticulously perfecting his craft. By the summer of 1994 at the age of 18, he was ready to begin his career as a full-time artist. 

Michael’s work is truthful, painted with astounding precision and clarity. While many modern landscape artists can sometimes over-romanticise or exaggerate, Smith’s applied restraint allows the country’s natural beauty to speak for itself. Looking closely, each leaf and ripple is painted with an intense observation, an accuracy rarely seen in modern landscape paintings. This firmly traditional approach has made Smith’s work refreshingly honest and inspiring, each painting a cherished representation of the country’s vibrant and timeless natural beauty. 

Michael draws inspiration from the classic English landscape tradition, popularised by artists such as Constable and Gainsborough. Like the work of these classic painters, Michael’s paintings demonstrate a palpable love for the British rural landscape. Rivers are frequently focal points in his paintings, partly for their universal beauty, and partly because they remind him of afternoons spent fishing with his brother and father as a child. 

Michael has found incredible success early on in his artistic career. With such a unique style that appeals to a wide variety of collectors, demand for Michael’s work is positively insatiable; his paintings have been known to sell in a number of hours. His work can be found in collections throughout the world, with a significant amount of his work sold to eager collectors in the USA. Michael’s dynamic career continues to reach new heights, making him an exciting and noteworthy addition to the York Fine Arts collection.