I’m Jerry Smith, a California artist and photographer. For most of my life, art waited patiently in the background. Retirement finally gave it the front seat.
Before I devoted my days to creating, I spent many years working in fields far from the studio. Those years taught me discipline, patience, and how to pay attention, all of which serve me well whether I’m waiting for the right light behind a camera or working out a sky on canvas. When I retired, I didn’t slow down. I simply turned my attention to what I’d always wanted to do: create.
Photography is a big part of how I see the world. I’m drawn to places with character: open landscapes, quiet corners, weathered structures, and the way light transforms an ordinary scene into something worth remembering. A great photograph often comes down to patience and timing, being there when the light, the weather, and the land all come together for a moment.
That same love of light and place carries into my landscape painting. Working in traditional oils, I try to capture not just what a scene looks like, but how it feels to stand there: the warmth of late afternoon, the stillness before a storm, the distance of a far horizon. My photography and painting constantly inform each other. The camera sharpens my eye for composition and atmosphere, and painting reminds me to slow down and really look.
Everything you’ll find here, from original oil paintings to photographic prints, began with a place or a moment that made me stop and look a little longer. My hope is that each piece does the same for you, and perhaps finds a home on your wall.
Take your time, browse the collection, and check back often. New work is always on the way. After all, I retired to create.