Lura Schwarz Smith
Lura Schwarz Smith has a Bachelor of Arts degree in Art, emphasis in painting and drawing, from San Francisco State University. She produced textile art and mixed media beginning in 1975, showing in California galleries throughout the 70s and 80s. In the 90s she showed art quilts and received awards at national and international quilt shows, and taught workshops internationally. One of her art quilts was named one of the “100 Best American Quilts of the 20th Century.”
Over the past years, Lura has turned her focus to oil painting, exploring both realistic and more abstract and fractured approaches. Exploring the imagination and inner life through figurative art is a primary interest.
She has had several solo shows of her paintings at Vernissage in Fresno, as well as work shown regularly at Gateway Art Center in Oakhurst. Work has also been shown at the Sorensen Studio Gallery in Fresno, the Tree Top Gallery in Mariposa, and Circle Gallery in Madera. Recent awards are Best in Show for her painting in The Nudes Show at the Sorensen, and Best in Show for the Yosemite Sierra Artists 50th Year Anniversary show.
She is a member of Yosemite Sierra Artists and the Mariposa and Madera County Arts Councils. She heads the YSA Portrait group with her husband Kerby, and regularly attends this and the YSA Plein Air group.
Selected Commissions and Publications
Oil painting commission, cover art for poetry book “Lion’s Share” by Rachel Oliver
Art commission, Valley Children’s Hospital, Madera, CA
Selected Awards
1st Place Oils, 51st Anniversary Show, Circle Gallery, Madera, CA 2022
Best in Show, 50th Year Anniversary Show, Gallery 5, Oakhurst, CA 2021
1st Place Oils, 50th Year Anniversary Show, Online exhibit,2021
Best in Show, The Nudes Show, Sorensen Gallery, Fresno, CA 2020
Second Place, Painting, The Nudes Show, Sorensen Gallery, Fresno, CA 2019
1st Place Mixed Media, YWA Tri-County, Circle Gallery, Madera, CA, 2018
1st Place Mixed Media, YWA Tri-County, Gallery 5, Oakhurst, CA, 2017
1st Place Mixed Media, Nudes Show, Sorensen Gallery, Fresno, CA, 2014
1st Place Fiber, "Art From the Heart," Sorensen Gallery, Fresno, CA, 2012
1st Place Mixed Media, "The Pink Show," Sorensen Gallery, Fresno, CA, 2011
1st Place Mixed Media, “Nudes Show,” Sorensen Gallery, Fresno, CA, 2012, 2010,07,05
Selected Fine Art Exhibitions and Shows
Oil, and Pastel Paintings and Drawings
2022
Yosemite Renaissance 37, Yosemite Gateway Art Center, Oakhurst Ca, and other venues
Visions of Self, online and at Metta Yosemite, Oakhurst, CA
Toca Madera Winery
Featured Artist solo show, Metta Yosemite, Oakhurst, CA
2021
Solo show, December Featured Artist, Fresno Arts Council, Fresno, CA
50th Year Anniversary Show, YSA, YGAC, Oakhurst, CA (Best in Show and 1st place Oils)
Art Inspiration Group Show, Oakhurst Spirits, Oakhurst, CA
Sierra Art Trails Open Studios Tour, Oakhurst, CA
Celebrate Agriculture with the Arts, Circle Gallery, Madera, CA
Yosemite Renaissance 36, Yosemite Gateway Art Ctr, Oakhurst, CA and traveling venues
Art and Authors’ Fair, Bodies by Boyd, Oakhurst, CA
Visions of Self, online group exhibit, YSA
New Year/New Normal exhibit, Circle Gallery, Madera, CA
2020
Featured Artist January, Vernissage Gallery, Fresno, CA
YWA Featured Artist, Art Space Gallery, Oakhurst, CA
The Nudes Show (Best in Show award) Chris Sorensen Gallery, Fresno, CA
Artavita online juried exhbibition, In the Time of Covid
2019
Featured Artist December, Vernissage Gallery, Fresno, CA
Sierra Art Trails Exhibit, Stellar Gallery, Oakhurst, CA
Sierra Art Trails Sneak Preview, K-Jewel Gallery, Fresno, CA
The Nudes Show (2nd Place Painting Award) Sorensen Studios, Fresno, CA
Featured Artists (with Kerby Smith) May, Vernissage Gallery, Fresno, CA
Artists of the Month (with Kerby Smith) April/May, Sculpterra Winery, Paso Robles, CA
Tri-County YWA art show, Circle Gallery, Madera, CA
“Yosemite Icons,” invitational show, Upstairs Gallery, Mariposa, CA
“The Fine Art of Pastel,” juried show, Carnegie Art Center, Turlock, CA
Animals show, Chris Sorensen Studios, Fresno, CA
Multiple YWA shows, Circle Gallery, Madera, CA
2018
Sierra Art Trails Sneak Preview, K-Jewel Gallery, Fresno, CA
YWA Plein Air exhibit, Sorensen Gallery, Fresno, CA
“4 Degrees of Separation,” invitational exhibit, Arte Americas Cultural Center, Fresno, CA
2017
“Union” invitational exhibit, Treetop Gallery, Mariposa Arts Council, Mariposa, CA
"A Week in the Park" exhibit, Gallery 5, Oakhurst CA
Yosemite Western Artists Tri-County Art Show, Gallery 5, Oakhurst, CA
Sierra Art Trails Open Studios Tour
2016
“The Nudes Show,” Chris Sorensen Studios, Fresno, CA