Celeste Perez Smith Fine Art
Austin, Texas
Celeste is an award winning artist from Austin, Texas. She is a member of Oil Painters of America and American Impressionists Society.
MessageI began painting in oils at a very young age. When I was 11 years old, my parents enrolled me in weekly art classes with south Texas artist Reve Thomas. I continued studying with Reve until I graduated from high school. Though I didn't formally study art in college, I did receive a degree in history from the University of Texas at Austin, and decided to become a social studies teacher. But my desire to paint and pursue an art career never left me. My most recent studies with professional artist Elizabeth Locke convinced me that I wanted to pursue oil painting. Those five years under Elizabeth's guidance led me here, to Celeste Perez Smith Fine Art.
While teaching and writing high school social studies curriculum, I wanted my students to "lean in" and understand history through current events and engaging lessons. In my art, I study the nuances of my subject--whether it is a floral still life or plein air landscape. I dive deeply into my subject, developing composition, studying light and shadow, and seeing subtle shifts in color temperature and value. I wish to convey to viewers and collectors a connection in their own lives, to tell a story that motivates them to "lean in".
I consider myself a lifelong learner. I wanted to be the best social studies teacher I could be, and that required workshops, post graduate college classes, and mentoring other teachers. My art career is no different. I continue to pursue studies in art, oil painting and art history. Most recently, I attended a four day workshop with renowned artist Kim Casebeer. Kim taught the class in Fredericksburg, Texas, a favority city of mine. We studied with her at the Appretiare Studio in Fredericksburg during the day, and traveled to beautiful Central Texas locations to paint "en plein air" (outdoors) in the afternoon! I also just returned from beautiful Santa Fe, New Mexico, for the Plein Air Conference and Expo (PACE 2022)), where plein air painting was front and center.
Painting makes me happy. It is my full time job and I love it. I enjoy searching my central Texas garden for ideas in nature. Many of my paintings are studies in plein air beginning in my garden, in the beautiful landscape of Texas, and in my travels. But I don't forget my love of all types of flowers, which I must find elsewhere because deer live and wander in my garden, and they love flowers too!!
Statement
I believe it is important to understand the nuances and details of my subject before I paint it. It is not that I want to capture excessive detail in my artwork, but instead I want to capture the energy with which the subject presents itself in life. It is that energy that I want to convey in my painting.
Award winning artist from Austin, Texas.
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