Tina Smith

Tina Smith paints the natural world she knows intimately. Her passion for capturing nature’s tones and forms was sparked during her time working with Betsy Whitney, wife of philanthropist and art collector Jock Whitney. From her desk on the second floor of the Whitney’s grand Manhattan townhouse, Smith observed magnificent bouquets delivered every other day from the family’s hothouses on their 500-acre Manhasset estate. She was first dazzled by the stunning array of orchids, flowering plants, and leafy boughs, then inspired to recreate them with her watercolor brush.
Smith refined those early efforts through intensive instruction from Xavier Barille, Shannon Kelly, and Bridget Loritz, artists whose teaching skills were shared by many successful contemporary artists. Her distinctive watercolor technique flows from her deep appreciation for transparency and layers. Surrounded by Whitney floral arrangements displayed on antique European tables, flowers and Tuscan villas have remained her focus ever since.
Her eclectic style features backgrounds depicting petals shyly hiding behind leaves with a naturalism born from her intimate contact with the armfuls of flowers that filled the Whitney home. Smith’s work, represented by Park West Gallery, has attracted nationwide attention. Her aspiration is to share nature’s beauty as she discovers it.