Annette Smith

Faces and figures are Arizona-based watercolorist Annette Smith's passion. With a loose impressionistic style she captures a likeness with fresh color and minimal brushwork, always bearing in mind to describe the essentials and let other details go. Dedicated to painting from life her goal is to share with students how to infuse the energy of life studies into an intuitive watercolor portrait.

Annette's watercolor journey began in high school and continued into fine art studies at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. She furthered her education in Mesa Arizona and through several workshops and classes at Scottsdale Artists' School. Her influences are generated through workshops with noted watercolorists Ted Nuttall, Julie Gilbert-Pollard, Kim Johnson, and the amazing late Charles Reid.

A recipient of many awards, her honors include 2 Best of Shows for the Arizona Watercolor Association Fall 2019 and Fall 2022, the 2020 Francis Nell Storer Memorial Award, American Watercolor Society 153rd International Exhibition, the Pinon Award, 47th Western Federation of Watercolor Societies, and Outstanding Watercolor by Bold Brush December 2019. Annette's life drawings are published in two Northlight books, Strokes of Genius: The Best of Drawing and Strokes of Genius 2: The Best Drawing Light and Shadow. Her watercolor and charcoal life studies illustrate the charming book by Sara Evans, the Naked Nude.