Born in Kansas City, Missouri, Matt Smith (Matthew) became a well-known plein-air painter of landscapes and also a highly respected teacher, most especially at the Scottsdale Artists School in Scottsdale, Arizona. He has also done figurative and still life painting, but his passion is landscape subjects.

In 1963, Smith and his family moved to Scottsdale, Arizona, where he became fascinated by the beauties of the desert landscape. Showing obvious early talent for painting, he was lucky in that he traveled at age thirteen with his parents to live in Toulouse, France for two years, and several years later, they went to Switzerland. With his family, he toured many museums, and later expressed feelings of good fortune because hi...