Gary Ernest Smith

Gary Ernest Smith has lived in Utah since 1968 and is best known for his wide-view, tonalist landscapes. Rooted in his religious commitment to create uplifting art, his work emphasizes spiritual renewal without relying on doctrine. Instead, Smith uses universal symbols to suggest humanity’s deep connection to Mother Earth. He is particularly drawn to landscapes that are unusual or overlooked, often depicting cultivated farmland and rural America. This focus reflects his upbringing in rural Oregon and his identification as a Western artist concerned with the land and issues of the American West, rather than traditional cowboy or Native American themes. Smith works primarily in oil, favoring palette knives to preserve color clarity, and he typically paints on large, panoramic canvases. A graduate of Brigham Young University, he was strongly influenced by professor Dale Fletcher’s teachings on dynamic symmetry. Smith works from a spacious, light-filled studio in Highland, Utah, surrounded by sweeping mountain and farmland views.