Born in 1959 in Salt Lake City, Utah, David Smith-Harrison is known as today modern day Rembrandt for his skill in etching, light and larger than life vision of architecture and mother nature. Naturally attracted to realism, his works are exquisitely detailed, and undeniably classic. He not only accepts but appreciates that both conscious and unconscious influences impact a piece—this attitude adds to the dreamlike quality that imbues his work.   


David art has a classic old-world feel, that he mixes with the vibrant detail of modern realism which pulls the viewer in with his eclectic textures and styles and tells us a story of the old meeting the new. Through his art we find understanding, poetic beauty, and joy, truths about the human condition.   


As an artist he believes in being impeccably honest with his work, using it not only to express his reality but to examine it. Particularly drawn to the printmaking process, finding the unique textural characteristics are stimulating, seductive, and full of subtlety. With a love and obsession with the greats that came before him, he lovingly admires the draftsman of the Italian Renaissance, finding their inspiration in the historical lineage of art and inspiration.  


David shares “My approach to intaglio printmaking relies very much on drawing. I am attracted to the infinite possibilities of impressing ink onto paper and I find the unique textural characteristics of prints to be stimulating, seductive, and full of subtlety and nuance. My prints evolve and develop slowly. This gradual process allows me to become very involved with the subject. Because of this intense and continual observation, I feel I am able to make a sensitive, and intimate statement about the subject. I am naturally attracted towards realism and approach my work knowing that both conscious and unconscious influences will impart its direction. I feel that these influences have been the collective theories of picture-making. I carefully examine the work of fellow artists, both past and present, and believe that I gain enrichment and understanding from these reflections and study. I have an enormous respect for the art of the past and particularly for that of the great draftsmen of the Italian Renaissance.”   


David Smith-Harrison attended University of Utah, South Glamorgan Institute in Cardiff, Wales, and Utah State University, where he became a Utah State Sterling Scholar. He currently resides in California. He has won ten lifetimes of awards and has participated in numerous solo, group, and jury expositions. His art is part of many collections across the world including, Warner Brothers, in Los Angeles CA, Nordstrom, in Seattle, WA, and George Lucas, Lucasfilm Ltd., Lululemon The Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco, Achenbach Foundation for Graphic Arts, Long Beach Museum of Art, Springville Museum of Art, Tama Art University Museum, Tokyo, Japan, The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cadence Corporation, Utah State University, Southwest Texas State University, Kaiser Foundation, Merrill Lynch, Time Warner, New York, NY, American Express Assurance Co., Johnson & Johnson, Cogent Data Technology, Inc., Friday Harbor, CA, Merrill Lynch, Lifescan, Inc., Robyn Willams, Wayne Getzky, Michael Richards, Joanna Cassidy, Stuart & Linda Resnick, and many many Private collections across Japan, Taiwan Republic of China, Spain and Mexico