Cover Artist: Ed Smith

Nature, Beauty, and Survival:

The Colorful and Complex Works of Ed Smith

Written By: Cayman Clevenger Photography By: Kevin Duffy

In the shadow of Death Valley, ancient oaks twist and bend, while Italian Renaissance-style arches frame an art building that has been home to celebrated artist Ed Smith’s studio for nearly 30 years. Just before I enter Smith’s studio, outside of Louisiana State University’s Audubon Hall, a white heron - reminiscent of the tangled ones that so often grace Smith’s work - wanders past, unbothered and unhurried.

Born in Naples, Italy, and raised on Cape Cod, Smith’s artistic journey began early. Much like Walter Anderson, who is known for his plein air painting on Horn Island, Smith grew up painting watercolors of the flora and fauna of a Cape Cod peninsula where he camped with a childhood friend.

In high school, Smith began to collect and sketch dead birds he had collected on walks. This unusual hobby was encouraged by his art teachers, who offered him a private studio space in the school. “I would pin up these birds and spend hours drawing them,” he recalls. It was an early nod to the themes of life, death, and survival that would later dominate his work.

Passionate about conservation, Smith depicts the beauty of the natural world on his canvas. His current oeuvre was inspired by an image of fire ants during Hurricane Katrina. Smith was taken by the beauty and simplicity of these small creatures weaving a living raft, their bodies entwined in a delicate dance. The ants below rise to breathe and those above descend, a ceaseless rhythm of unity afloat on the water’s embrace. In that way, his entangled birds, flora, and fauna represent the struggle of survival, the challenges we all face, and Smith’s optimism that nature will find a way to survive.

Driven by his love of nature, Smith landed a peculiar first paid gig after high school that set him further on his artistic path. But not before it landed him in a Canadian jail. Smith was hired to sandblast and paint the Sea Shepherd in Boston Harbor, a vessel for the fledgling environmental organization founded by Paul Watson. Smith then became the ship’s first crew member, diving headfirst into environmental activism. “It was about adventure as much as the cause,” Smith admits.

As part of the crew, he painted seals with vegetable-based dye to make the pelts commercially worthless, thus saving the lives of the endangered seals. The Royal Mounted Police became aware of the Sea Shepherd’s efforts almost immediately, arresting the vessel and all those on board. Smith and the rest of the crew spent two weeks in jail in a small coastal Canadian town, an experience that left a mark on his outlook but also tested his patience with human nature. “By the time we returned to Boston, I was done,” he says. Smith left the crew and dove head first into his work as an artist and professor.

Smith found his way to the arts as a career, enrolling at University of Massachusetts at Amherst, where he got his BFA in painting. He then moved to New York, where he earned an MFA. Smith worked as an artist assistant for luminaries like Mierle Laderman Ukeles and Vito Acconci, and as a preparator at PS1 and The Clocktower Gallery. He later spent a decade at Queens College CUNY as Senior Studio Supervisor and Lecturer before accepting a position as a professor of art at LSU.

Smith’s early works, inspired by artists like Andrew Wyeth and Eric Fischl, leaned toward narrative realism. His move to Louisiana in the 1990s marked a significant shift in his style and subject matter.

“In Louisiana, you can’t escape the landscape - it’s alive and disappearing at the same time,” he says. This tension between permanence and decay became a defining feature of his work.

Smith’s paintings often depict entangled birds in vivid, chaotic compositions that reflect both the beauty and fragility of nature.

“I want the paintings to unfold slowly in front of you,” he says. “I want them to be beautiful, but also to make you think.” This balance between beauty and provocation is a hallmark of his work, resonating with viewers all over the country.

While Smith shies away from overt political statements in his work, his commitment to conservation and love of nature is undeniable. His paintings often evoke the consequences of humanity’s impact on nature, encouraging viewers to think more deeply about their relationship with the environment.

Smith explains: “My direct environment is an inspiration, walking around the lakes at LSU, the busy highway in the background with cars whizzing by, but spoonbills in the foreground, it is an interesting juxtaposition of the interplay of man and nature.”

But his work isn’t just about nature. It’s also about the human experience. “There’s this inner turmoil in all of us - what we project versus what we really are,” he explains. The birds in his paintings become metaphors for survival, resilience, and the struggle against external forces we all face in our daily lives. As much a reflection of the human condition as a reflection of nature.

Smith’s creative process mirrors the complexity of his themes. He begins with loose sketches, often inspired by dreams or fleeting moments of clarity in the early hours of the morning. “I dream paintings,” he tells me. “I see them in those twilight hours and jot down the simplest notes or sketches.” From there, he builds his works layer by layer, constantly shifting colors and compositions.

This iterative process is evident in the textured surfaces of his paintings. “The sky or water in a piece might change colors 15 times before it feels right,” he says. Smith often draws inspiration from unexpected places, like the vibrant hues of a wildfire captured in a photograph or the subtle interplay of light and shadow during a Louisiana storm.

For nearly three decades, Smith has been a professor at LSU, shaping and inspiring the next generation of artists while continuing to evolve his own practice. Teaching, he says, keeps him young. “There’s nothing like hanging out with 20-yearolds. Their energy and optimism are contagious.”

Smith’s students also benefit from his example as a working artist. He invites them into his studio, showing them not just his finished pieces but also the messy, unpredictable process behind them. “Being a working artist rubs off on them,” he says, “and as much as it is a cliche, we truly learn from each other.”

As Smith approaches retirement from LSU, he is preparing for a new chapter. He and his wife have purchased a building in Maine, where he plans to create a community-focused art space. The building will house his studio, and at least five studio rental spaces for other artists, and a gallery. “It’s a way to give back and stay connected,” he says.

Smith’s time in Louisiana, however, is far from over. He plans to split his time between Maine and Louisiana, continuing to draw inspiration from the vibrant landscapes and complex histories of both places. Ed Smith’s work is a testament to the power of art to reflect and shape our understanding of the world. His paintings, with their intricate layers and vivid colors, invite us to confront the beauty and fragility of life.

Whether he’s depicting entangled birds, reflecting the beauty of the Louisiana landscape, or drawing on memories of his youth, Smith’s art is always deeply personal and profoundly universal. As he puts it, “I want my paintings to stick with you, like a good movie. I want them to make you think—about nature, about life, about yourself.”

Smith’s legacy is one of connection—between people, places, and the timeless struggle to find meaning in a chaotic world. With over thirty solo exhibitions and numerous group showings at prestigious venues and art fairs worldwide, Smith’s career thus far is a remarkable reflection of dedication to both his craft and the arts community.

You can view Smith’s work at the fantastic Spillman Blackwell Gallery in New Orleans, where Smith’s recent show, “Peaceable Kingdom,” marked a brilliant curated and triumphant return to the New Orleans art scene.