I am a German-American abstract artist living in the mountains near Sun Valley, Idaho, USA.
Growing up in Germany, I earned my Bachelor of Fine Art in post-modern art and experimental theatre at the University of Giessen. Upon my move to the USA, I studied painting and performance art at the University of Texas in Dallas, where I performed with Fred Curchak in Art-O-Rama at the Dallas Museum of Art.
I earned my Master of Fine Arts degree at the University of Montana, after which I became a Theatre Director and Sailor in Boston, Artistic Director on Kauai, Event Planner in San Francisco, and a Ski Instructor in Sun Valley.
You can also follow me on Instagram and Facebook.
Be creative - Be love
- Nani
Artist statement - Nani Smith
Passion_ Expression_Truth
In my abstract works, I seek a tangible soul truth, a new way to inspire feel our physical and emotional existence. Often my images reveal themselves as if searching for their own truth.
I play with colors and textures, often creating several layers of acrylic paint by scraping, brushing, watering, and sometimes adding textures such as ground coffee, packing paper, pebbles, gold dust, and mylar foil. My brushstrokes can flow like a gentle brook, or explode like a supernova, as I seek a balance between representation and abstraction.
My inspiration comes from images, such as the recent NASA Mars photography, breathtaking Idaho mountain scenes, or my memories of living aboard a sailing ship in Boston Harbor.
I also search for poetry to accompany many of my paintings to capture and unlock a deeper experience.
Recent Exhibits
-
Sun Valley Arts and Crafts Fair - August 2021
-
Ketchum Arts Festival, July 2021
-
Saddletree Gallery, Ketchum
-
KB Ketchum