Smith, Malcolm

Malcolm Smith was born and educated in the Fraser Valley of British Columbia.  In the mid-1990s I moved to Nova Scotia to follow a career in science and engineering, and along the way I’ve been exploring a range of other interests – in music, literature, drawing and photography. In 2024 I picked up a brush for the first time, finding an affinity for the solitary process of mixing colour and applying it to a surface. In the short time I have been painting I have worked on developing my landscape technique in acrylic, with the intention of someday pursuing formal training in other genres and media.

Artist Statement

The forests, lakes and seacoasts of our Maritime region offer plenty of subject matter for the landscape artist. I paint from my own photographs and prefer subject matter with a lot of depth of field and tonal variation. I enjoy the challenge of painting realistic scenes, but allow myself to deviate from the literal reality of the photograph where it suits the composition. I like the covered bridges of New Brunswick as subjects for practicing light, shadow and perspective. Being new to painting, each new work for me is a kind a discovery, of finding out what works and what doesn’t. And it’s fun!