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.