Description:

Kathleen Smith
New Mexico, (20/21st century)
Arches at the Bellas Artes, Taos
pastel on paper
signed lower right.

Biography from Wickliff & Associates Auctioneers, Inc.

"The specifics of a place, the angles, the alleys, the tiny corners where patches of color flourish, bursting with energy, offer far more than a quick glimpse into a locale. Kathleen Smith is masterful at capturing the sense of a place, because the energy and color depicted in her plein-aire landscapes resonate far beyond their intimate boundaries. "Pastels became my chosen medium for their immediacy and the purity of colors which were part of my experience in the New Mexico light," Smith says.

A native of Delmar, New York, Smith freely admits that she has been under the influence of the New Mexico landscape since she moved to Taos in 1980. "It has shaped the very nature of my vision," Smith says.

"Although it appears to be a very dry and arid place, I have learned to find the lush, private gardens the dramatic and treasured waters, and a particular spirit in wild and old places."

Like the Impressionists she so admires, Smith avoids generalizations when she paints, concentrating instead on specifics. "I don't work with a big brush. I break a pastel stick and I work with the side," Smith explains. "You are building up color, so I'll use a lot of color to build up one mass area. Rather than mixing a pallet and using one big brush stroke, I'll work an area and vary the color.

A graduate of Kirkland College (now part of Hamilton College), she studied at the Arts Student League in New York . In 1979 Smith won the Robert Brackman Scholarship Award at a Pastel Society of America exhibition. Smith has been a guest instructor at the Denver Arts Student League, has juried exhibitions nationally and has been invited to show her work at the Eiteljorg Museum in Indianapolis.

Smith was awarded Best of Show at the Taos Impressionist exhibition at the Stables Art Gallery . Her paintings have been exhibited in galleries and shows nationally including, Washington D.C., Indianapolis, Chicago, Palo Alto, La Jolla, and New Mexico ."

  • Dimensions: 19 1/4"H x 16"W (sight); 27 1/4"H x 23 3/4"W (frame)
  • Medium: pastel on paper

Accepted Forms of Payment:

ACH, American Express, Discover, MasterCard, Money Order / Cashiers Check, Personal Check, Visa, Wire Transfer

Shipping

Shipping and removal are the sole responsibility of the buyer. Shipping is available by request through a third party shipping service, Shipping Saint. Please contact our office if you would like to arrange your own shipping. Buyers will not automatically receive a shipping invoice. You will be sent a separate invoice for shipping once your initial invoice is paid and your items are packed and ready to ship. Shipping is invoiced via Shipping Saint and cannot be combined with your auction invoice.
Shipping Saint can be contacted at [email protected] or via phone, 317-644-6088.
PICKUP: Pickup is by appointment only. Items are subject to storage fees if they are not removed from premises within 10 business days. If items require shipping, arrangements and removal must be completed within 15 business days.

January 7, 2026 3:00 PM EST
Indianapolis, IN, US

Ripley Auctions

You agree to pay a buyer's premium of 25% and any applicable taxes and shipping.

View full terms and conditions

Bid Increments
From: To: Increments:
$0 $49 $5
$50 $99 $10
$100 $199 $20
$200 $499 $25
$500 $999 $50
$1,000 $2,999 $100
$3,000 $4,999 $200
$5,000 $9,999 $500
$10,000 $29,999 $1,000
$30,000 + $2,500