J.F. Smithwell's Artist Biography

J. Smithwell has taken joy in drawing and painting all of  their life. Their work is primarily in oils. Their subjects have largely been plein air impressionist landscapes. The focus of their work is on a colorist approach to light. They were admitted directly to second year of Ontario College of Art and Design and have studied through courses there and Toronto School of Art, Halliburton School of Art, Avenue Road School of Art. J.Smithwell is located in Toronto, Ontario, Canada but also travels and paints in the United States and Mexico and wherever their travels may take them. 

Awards

• Winner of Plein Air Event at Framing Dames Gallery in Toronto 2015
• Honorable Mention, Ontario Plein Air Annual show 2014
• Best in Show and People’s Choice Award, Stouffville Paintout. September 2013
• Best Oil Painting in Show, Beach Guild of Fine Art Fall Show 2013
• 2 Special Merit Awards, Scarborough Arts Guild - One in Spring jurying 2009 & One in Fall 2009
• 3 Special Merit Awards, Scarborough Arts Guild Fall Jurying 2008 & November 2008 Show
• Honorable mention, Framing Dames Juried Show 2008
• Third Prize, Arthur Awards , Scarborough Art Guild 2008
• Founders Award, International Pleine Aire Juried Show 2007
• Third Prize in Framing Dames First Annual Juried Show 2007
• Best in Show, Franklin Carmichael Spring show 2007 + an Honorable Mention
• Best Acrylic in Show, Scarborough Arts Guild Fall Show, 2006
• 2 Special Merit Awards from Scarborough Arts Guild 2007, +5 awards in 2006
• Honorable Mention, International Plein air Juried Show, Niagara Falls, 2006
• Best Oil or Acrylic in Show, Franklin Carmichael Spring show,2006
• Honorable Mention, Franklin Carmichael Juried show 2006, Etobicoke 
• People’s Choice Award, Franklin Carmichael Art Centre juried show 2005, Etobicoke 
• Mayor’s Award, Visual Art Centre juried show 2005, Bowmanville

Invitationals

Rails End Gallery Plein Air Invitational Exhibition 2015

Kingsway-Lambton Invitational Show 2015 

Juried Shows

• Juried Plein air festival  in Geneva , New york, 2014
• Salon Show at Project Gallery, Toronto, 2014
• Finger Lakes Plein Air Festival, New York 2014
• Paint Ontario Juried Show, Grand Bend, 2014 
• Framing Dames Juried Show, 2007-2008,2013-2014, Scarborough
• International Plein Air Juried Show, Niagara Falls, 2006-2007
• Oakville Annual Juried Show 2006
• Scarborough Art Guild Spring and Fall Shows 2006-2012
• Scarborough Arts Council’s juried shows - 2012, 2009, 2006, 2004 and 2001
• Pine Ridge Juried show 2005, Ajax
• Franklin Carmichael Art Centre juried shows 2005-2007, Etobicoke
• Visual Art Centre Bowmanville’s annual juried show 2005-2006,2012,2013
• Oshawa Art Association’s Annual Juried show 2005-2006

Select Shows

• Warm HeArt Exhibit in  Montreal, 2016
• Solo Show ILLuminations , Ben Navaee Gallery, Toronto, 2015
• Highlands Plein air festival, Halliburton, Ontario, Canada, 2014
• Framing Dames Gallery for Solo show and for Group show 2014,  also in 2012- 2013
• Saranac Lake plein air festival, New York.  2014
• Wychwood Barns Gallery, Toronto, 2014
• Elgin Winter Garden Theatre Show for Toronto International Film Festival 2012
• Scarborough Bluffs Gallery, Solo Show,  2011;
• Sunrise Art Gallery, Hamilton, 2009
• Beach Guild of Fine Art Shows 2001-2014, 2023
• Summer in September Art Show 2007-2014, Beach, Toronto
• Cedar Ridge Art Gallery 2007-2009,2014,
• "Art Experience" Gallery, Bobcaygeon 2004, 2009

Collections

• J. Smithwell’s work is in the Canadiana Collection of the Toronto Public Library

She  has been  on the Executive of the Ontario Plein Air Society and am  former-Executive of the Beach Guild of Fine Art.