Jerry Smith: En Plein Air Painter


Written by

Courtesy photo
En plein air painter Jerry Smith. Courtesy photo

Initially finding it easier to paint in a realist style, Jerry Smith says his work has adapted with time. “I’ve turned toward impressionism,” Smith says. “My direction has been to loosen up, simplify, work with bigger shapes.”

In 1975, four years after he first picked up a paint brush at age 30, Smith was introduced to en plein air (outdoor) painting, a hallmark of his portfolio.

“Plein air is just as much about the experience as the results,” he says. “It’s the time I most feel like a painter, like I’m relating to the impressionists and the artists who came before me.”

Currently, Smith’s creative direction lies in watermedia painting. Visit jsmithstudio.com.

View a PDF version of the story here.

About the Author

Never miss an issue

Bloom Magazine is published bimonthly and distributed throughout the Bloomington area.

Current Issue

February/March 2026

Dining & Imbibing in Bloomington — our latest issue is out now.

Advertise in Bloom

Reach Bloomington’s most engaged readers. Request our media kit today.

Never miss an issue of Bloom

Bloomington’s magazine — published bimonthly and distributed throughout Monroe County.