Dean Smith is a West Coast artist and educator based in Humboldt County, California. He obtained his MFA in painting through American University via a study abroad program in Italy.

Smith works in a variety of traditional 2d media, including soft pastels, block prints, monotypes, mixed media, and artworks that use oil pastel and paint mediums on steel or copper ground.

For over 18 years, Dean has been teaching various drawing and painting classes to his students of College of the Redwoods, and runs a local drawing group where he’s able to practice his life long interest in Figure Drawing.

” In addition to its expressive nature and the discipline that it requires, I’ve always enjoyed the human element of figure drawing. It’s a sort of intimate privilege being able to collaborate with a model, an activity that requires both respect and mutual understanding. I believe that personal connection, as well as the camaraderie shared within our life drawing groups, has been exceptionally fulfilling for me during this digital era where in-person experiences seem to be becoming less frequent.”