Tom Smith began to paint in 2012 when he left his career as a first-grade schoolteacher. Shortly thereafter, he discovered plein air painting (painting on-site, outdoors). He has since participated in numerous plein air competitions through the midwest, winning many awards. 

About his art, Tom says "When I paint, I put down on the canvas an underpainting of acrylic, either using one neutral tone, or a mix of more vibrant color. I then paint over these colors in oil paint, letting some of the underpainting show through in strategic places. My painting technique is usually "alla prima", which is a direct painting approach where paint is applied wet on wet without letting earlier layers dry."