Vitae - Biography
American conceptual artist. Born in the State of Rhode Island, the youngest of four children, raised on the Southern California coast during a time of profound social and political events in the late 1960's and 70's.
Smith's mother's family emigrated from the Portuguese island of São Miguel to the United States in the early 1900's settling in Rhode Island. Smith's father, a Los Angeles businessman and musician is a descendent of Anne Hutchinson, notable 1500's settler to England's American Colonies in Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and New Netherlands.
With no formal training, Smith's first abstractions were created in his early twenty's while living in the hills of Hollywood, California and first exhibited his work in 1990.
Smith's earliest influences included the work of Mark Rothko, Antoni Tapies, Salvador Dali, and Andy Warhol.
In 1993 the studio relocated to a loft in the East Village Arts District of Downtown Long Beach, California where the work developed into sociopolitical narratives and first featured cast-off materials [found objects] mostly comprised of debris collected from the local beach and objects gifted by supporters. The paintings are created on the floor of his studio using non-traditional methods like hands, trowels, flatware, rags, and gravity.
Best known for mixed media paintings on canvas, Smith has also worked in sculpture made from cast-off materials, photography, and has painted large scale architectural surfaces.
Dividing time between the West and East Coast, in 2008 Smith spent a year in New York City. After returning in 2009, Smith relocated the studio off North Palm Canyon Drive in Palm Springs, California.
Press - Reviews
Schoenkopf, Rebecca; Long Beach Rocks, O.C.
Weekly, 3-28-97, p 27.
Gottlieb, Shirle; Monochromatic Message, Press Telegram, 3-18-97, pages C1/C2.
Buck, Lisa; Melancholic ‘Hindsight’ Shows Surprising Insight, The Downtown Gazette, 3-17-97.
Yoon, Linda; Dark's Art Parlour, The Periodical of Dark Art, Issue 3, p 8.
Jones, Inigo; Caffeinated Art, The Catalyst Newspaper. March 1994.
Metivier, George; The Missing Link, The Marina News, 3-3-94, p 9.
Montgomery, Tiffany; Artist Paints What He Can't Scream, The Signal, 2-2-94, p 2.
Sasway, Mark; Alternative Perception, The Event, 3-10-94, p 6.
Scarborough, James; Uncooperative Abstraction, the ProjectBox / ArtWeek, 12/93
Gottlieb, Shirle; Monochromatic Message, Press Telegram, 3-18-97, pages C1/C2.
Buck, Lisa; Melancholic ‘Hindsight’ Shows Surprising Insight, The Downtown Gazette, 3-17-97.
Yoon, Linda; Dark's Art Parlour, The Periodical of Dark Art, Issue 3, p 8.
Jones, Inigo; Caffeinated Art, The Catalyst Newspaper. March 1994.
Metivier, George; The Missing Link, The Marina News, 3-3-94, p 9.
Montgomery, Tiffany; Artist Paints What He Can't Scream, The Signal, 2-2-94, p 2.
Sasway, Mark; Alternative Perception, The Event, 3-10-94, p 6.
Scarborough, James; Uncooperative Abstraction, the ProjectBox / ArtWeek, 12/93
Exhibitions
Solo2005 Indifference – Portfolio; Long Beach.
2005 Left Behind – Open Gallery; Long Beach.
2002 Yesterday – Portfolio; Long Beach.
1998 In A NutsHell – Artscape; Long Beach.
1997 Hindsight – Portfolio; Long Beach.
1995 Degrees of Perspective – TOMA; Long Beach.
1994 Alternative Perception – Portfolio; Long Beach.
1994 Beyond Abstraction – City Frameworks; Long Beach.
Fundraisers
2010 Artists for Animals "Save-A-Pet Fundraiser" – Back Street Art District; Palm Springs.
2006 United Care Charity Auction “An Evening Of Wine And Song” – Cal State Long Beach.
2002 S.E.E.D. Charity Auction – Eckstrom Gallery; Laguna Beach.
Juried
1992 Public Corporation for the Arts, Juried Exhibition – LBCC Art Gallery. Juror: Peter Frank. Awarded for "Silent Screams, 1991".
Group
1996 Unveiled – Dark's Art Parlour; Santa Ana.
1993 Uncooperative Abstraction – The Project Box / ArtWeek; Los Angeles.
1992 Holiday Exhibition – Portfolio; Long Beach.
1992 Reflections of the Urban Environment – Studio of David DiMichele; Long Beach.
1991 The Nature Of Importance – Portfolio; Long Beach.
1991 Opening Exhibition – Wells Gallery; Riverside.
Private Collections
Maira Gallegos; Dr. Jonathan and Erica Brower; Denice J. Jenkins; Donna Mae Bernhardt; Buck and Janet Roberson; Mark Sasway; Matthew Lee Rethmeier; Ryan Taylor Aberg; Kenneth Allen Trainer Jr. Jr.; Charlene Peterson; Tom Major; Rachel Lillian Goldman; C. Todd Burton; Marga Kansteiner; Davis and Andrea Krumins; Rachael Una; Daniel Martin Mellitz; Erica Brooke Aberg; Duane Osterlind; Dave Koehne; Andrea M. Sciarrotta; Michael A. Rose; Sharron Amaris Hefner; Steve Bernhardt; Mr. and Mrs. Moo Park; Tom and Maria Scheupbach; Kerstin Kansteiner; Ranell Cutter Racine; Kari Bernhardt; Susan M. Mills; H. Rosenberg; The Estate of Dorothea Ann Smith; The Estate of Mr. Ronald K. Brown; Dr. and Mrs. William Slater; Michael and Wendy McVicker; MSW; Tarra Thomas; The Estate of BC Whited II; Terri Quam; Mr. Dan Gallegos; Mr. Richard Roude; Ceresa Michelle Aberg; James and Linda Williams; Mr. Norman Feeney; Kristi Ann Bernhardt; Mr. and Mrs. Herman Velarde; The WL Smith Revocable Living Trust.São Miguel, known as "The Green Island", is the largest and most populated island of the Azores as well as the home to the Presidency of the Autonomous Region of the Azores.
Anne Hutchinson (1591–1643) was one of the most prominent women in colonial America, noted for her strong religious convictions, and for her stand against the staunch religious orthodoxy of 17th century Massachusetts.
I imagine it could be said that much of what goes into
my work is post-consumer waste. 
WL Smith | Los Angeles • New York • Palm Springs • Palm Desert
WLSmith.org Southern California conceptual artist WL Smith. Abstract, conceptual, mixed media, and sociopolitical paintings on canvas. Fine art featuring cast-off materials. Paintings, digital arts, installations, fine art commissions and rentals, and public art. Los Angeles, New York, Palm Springs, and Palm Desert. Recycled found objects as conceptual fine visual art.
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