Tamara Smith was born and raised in Southern California. Tamara has been painting with French dyes on silk for over 20 years. She has since become among the best and most technically accomplished artists in the field.

No other painting technique can produce the rich, bright, luxurious colors of French dyes on silk. By using bright colors to enhance light and form, Tamara creates striking images of almost supernatural beauty. The vibrant colors simply have to be seen.

Tamara chooses subjects from places visited in her extensive travels. She enjoyed working on a Tuscany series, featuring bright sunflowers, still life, and of course, landscapes. Another of Tamara's popular subjects examines light through flower petals. She also enjoys painting scenes from the Hawaiian Islands.

Painting with French dyes on silk is highly demanding and involves considerable artistic risk. First, one sketches on the silk with wax to block in where dye is permitted to flow. Tamara paints building from light to dark. Using wax to contain dyes can be challenging, and it makes silk painting an unforgiving medium. You have one chance and because the paint is permanent, you can’t go back and correct.” Tamara explains it took her years to develop the inner trust needed for her style to flourish. Nevertheless, the work itself has rich rewards. “The wet paints are beautiful to watch as they dry, they appear as radiant as sun through a stained glass window. The painting process, while slow, is very exciting because it is so colorful.”

Tamara is currently expanding her art career to include classical oil painting and portraiture. She attended The Florence Academy of Fine Art and apprenticed with Cheryl Kline in her Atelier, Kline Academy of Fine Art. Tamara is a fourth generation artist. She began painting at three beside her grandmother, a Laguna Beach Plein Aire artist. Tamara showed promise in high school, winning the art award three years in a row. Later, Tamara attended UCLA and graduated from Otis Art Institute of Parsons School of Design in 1985.

Tamara has made her home in the South Bay in 1989. She participates in numerous international juried shows and recently had her own one woman show. Tamara paints full time in her Manhattan Beach art studio.

Recent Achievements
 · 2006 – Guest Artist Speaker to International Silk Guild,
   Los Angeles

 · 2008 - Featured Poster Artist –Hermosa Art Walk

 · 2008, 2009 – Kline Academy of Fine Art Holiday Exhibition

 · 2009 – Featured Wine Label Artist for the Manhattan Beach
   Education Foundation Endowment Commemorative Magnum,
   Silver Oak, Alexander Valley, Cabernet Sauvignon.

 · 2009- Juried into Affaire in the Gardens Art Show