STEVEN P SMITH MAFA - BIOGRAPHY
I was born in Preston, Lancashire, in 1974 and I grew up in a small village close to where I still live with my family today in Charnock Richard. I studied A Levels and then a Foundation in Art at Wigan & Leigh College before completing the first year of a BA Hons degree at Cleveland College of Art.
In 1995 I left university to become a full time artist, quickly gaining recognition for painting large scale scenic works. I travelled throughout the UK and Europe completing major commissions for Madame Tussaud's, Sea Life, Blackpool Tower and Museums such as the Natural History Museum. These commissions included restoration to ceiling murals in the Blackpool Tower Ballroom and the painting of a 36 metre backdrop for the 'War Horse' exhibition at the National Army Museum.
Alongside this work I continued to paint portraits and still life studies in the Studio.
In 2016 I began painting with a group of Plein Air painters known as the 'Northernboys' and I became increasingly passionate about painting outdoors from direct observation. We travel annually to paint in London, Venice & Seville as well as meeting up regularly to paint in other towns & cities throughout europe.
Working outdoors whenever possible and occassionally developing larger works from these paintings in the studio, I look to capture what I see in the everyday modern world around me working in all weather conditions. I also has a passion for still life painting, capturing everyday objects and nostagic items that he has collected throughout his life. All works are in oils on either panels or canvas. In 2023 I had a major solo exhibition at The Museum of Brands, Notting Hill, London which featured original still life oil paintings of items found in the Museum's collection.
After a successful inaugeral exhibition with the Northernboys at Contemporary Six Gallery, Manchester in 2019, and two group exhibitions with the Northernboys at Windermere Fine Art Gallery in 2020 & 2021 we had our first major London Exhibition of plein air paintings at Panter & Hall, Pall Mall in spring 2024.
Recently I have exhibited in the Royal Institute of Oil Painters Annual Exhibition in 2021, 2022, 2023 and 2024 and with the Royal Society of Marine Artists in 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023 and 2024 at the Mall Galleries, London.
I am a full member of Manchester Academy of Fine Arts (MAFA), where I actively exhibit and have served on the exhibition committee and as a council member from 2019 to 2024. Since 2022 I have managed MAFA's social media presence, engaging with the audience, and enhancing the academy's online visibility.
In 2023 my painting 'Lemons' was selected for the New Light Prize Tour and will be exhibited in The Williamson Art Gallery, Birkenhead, The Bankside Gallery, London, Rheged Arts Centre, Penrith, The Biscuit Factory, Newcastle and The Mercer Gallery, Harrogate throughout 2024.
In 2024 I have made several painting trips to North America in preparation for a future solo exhibition. I have painted in New York, Conneticut, Boston and Ottowa with a trip to San Francisco already planed for early 2025.
I was selected by Gurinder Chadha to exhibit two paintings in the 'ING Discerning Eye' exhibition 2022
Winner of the Preston Portrait Challenge 2019 and awarded 2nd place in 2022 at the Harris Museum & Gallery, Preston.
Winner of the People's Choice award and 3rd prize overall at the Painting Padiham 2019 Plein Air Competition.
I was Pre-selected for the RA Summer Show 2019
Exhibitions 2024
'New Light Prize Tour Exhibition' Bank Side Gallery, Southbank, 48 Hopton St. London. SE1 9JB
27th February - 3rd March 2024
'The Northern Boys Exhibition' Panter & Hall, Pall Mall, London.
Spring 2024
'New Light Prize Tour Exhibition' Rheged Arts Centre, Penrith, CA11 0DQ
14th March - 2nd June 2024
'New Light Prize Tour Exhibition' The Biscuit Factory, Newcastle, NE2 1AN
29th June - 22nd September 2024
'Connections' MAFA Group Exhibition Stockport War Memorial Art Gallery
20th July - 13th September 2024
'New Light Prize Tour Exhibition' The Mercer Art Gallery, Harrogate, HG1 2SA
12th October - 31st December 2024
'The Turning Point' Group Exhibition 32 Market Place, Preston, PR1 2AR
'The Royal Society of Marine Artists' 2024 Mall Galleries, London
19th September - 28th September 2024
'The Royal Institute of Oil Painters 2024' Mall Galleries, London
28th Nov - 14th Dec 2024
Exhibitions 2023
'Chiaroscuro Exhibition' The Gallery Holt
8th April - 16th May 2023
MAFA Summer Exhibition The Crossley Gallery, Dean Clough, Halifax
17th June - 15th July 2023
'TALP Open 2023' Patchings Art Centre, Notts
13th July - 13th August 2023
Guest Artist Adrian Hill Fine Art, Stamford
August - December 2023
'Brushstrokes to Brands' Solo Exhibition Museum of Brands, Notting Hill, London
5th August - 25th November 2023
Extended until 18th February 2024
'The Meditation of Drawing' MAFA Exhibition Manchester Cathedral
10th September - 12th October 2023
'RSMA Annual Exhibition 2023' Mall Galleries, London
21st September - 30th September 2023
'New Light Prize Tour Exhibition' Williamson Art Gallery, Birkenhead
30th September - 22nd December 2023
'Royal Institute of Oil Painters Annual Exhibition' Mall Galleries, London
29th November - 16th December 2023
'The Winter Exhibition' Contemporary Six, Manchester
16th November - 23rd December 2023
Exhibitions 2022
'Back in the City' Mixed Exhibition Windermere Fine Art Gallery
22 April - 22 May 2022
'Euphoria' An Exhibition In Oils The Gallery, Holt, Norfolk
23 April - 21 May 2022
'The Lake District' Mixed Exhibition Windermere Fine Art Gallery
1 June - 30 June 2022
'Summer Show' Mixed Exhibition Windermere Fine Art Gallery
1 July - 23 July 2022
'Royal Society of Marine Artists Annual Exhibition' Mall Galleries, London
22 September - 1 October 2022
'Manchester Academy of Fine Arts (MAFA) Exhibition' Stockport War Memorial Art Gallery
1 October - 18 November 2022
'Northern Connections' Group Exhibition The Long Gallery, 4 King's St. Clitheroe
29 October - 20 November
'ING Discerning Eye' Annual Exhibition 2022 Mall Galleries, London
12 - 21 November 2022
'Royal Institute of Oil Painters' Annual Exhibition 2022 Mall Galleries, London
24 November - 10 December 2022
'Winter Exhibition' Contemporary Six Gallery, Manchester
December 2022
Exhibitions 2021
"10+1" Mixed Exhibition 2021 Contemporary Six, Manchester
Dec 4th - January 2022
WFA Autumn Winter Mixed Exhibition Windermere Fine Art
October 2021 - Feb 2022
Royal Institute of Oil Painters Mall Galleries, London
Nov 24th - December 5th 2021
Manchester Academy of Fine Arts 'All the Best' group exhibition Dean Clough, Halifax
October 30th - Nov 20th 2021
Royal Society of Marine Artists Annual Exhibition 2021 Mall Galleries, London
Sept 30th - October 10th 2021
'The Northern Boys' Mixed Exhibition 2021 Windermere Fine Art
July 31st - August 31st 2021
Manchester Academy of Fine Arts 'Art of Every day' group exhibition Gallery Oldham
18th May - 26th June 2021
Exhibitions 2020
Royal Society of marine Artists Annual Exhibition 2020 Mall Galleries, London.
Sept 30th - October 10th 2020
"10" Mixed Exhibition 2020. Contemporary Six, Manchester
Nov 27th - Jan 2021
'The Northern Boys' Mixed Exhibition 2020. Windermere Fine Art.
September 2020 - Jan 2021
Exhibitions 2019
Manchester Academy of Fine Arts Small Works exhibition. The Whitaker Gallery, Rawtenstall.
Dec 2019 - Feb 2020
Manchester Academy of Fine Arts Autumn Exhibition. Stockport War Memorial Art Gallery.
21st Sep 2019 - 1st Nov 2019
Manchester Academy of Fine Arts Group Exhibition. The Atkinson Gallery, Southport.
July 2019
The Northernboys Group Exhibition. Contemporary 6 Gallery, Manchester.
May 2019
Busman's Holiday Exhibition. Picture House, Padiham.
April 2019
Solo Exhibitions
'Brushstrokes to Brands' Museum of Brands, Notting Hill August 2023 - Feb 2024
Figurative Paintings. Whitewall Gallery, Chester. March 2014
Upcoming events
'Euphoria' an Exhibition in Oil The Gallery Holt, Norfolk
23rd April - 31st May 2022
'Back to the City' Exhibition Windermere Fine Art Gallery
22nd April - 20th May 2022
'Lake District' Mixed Plein Air Exhibition Windermere Fine Art Gallery
1st June - 30th June 2022
The Northernboys Gloucestershire Arts Festival
29th July - 31st July 2022
'WFA Summer Exhibition' Mixed Oils Windermere Fine Art Gallery
1st July - 31st August 2022
MAFA Exhibition Stockport War Memorial Art Gallery
1st Oct - 18th Nov 2022
'North By Northwest' Contemporary Six Gallery, Manchester
29 Oct - 20th Nov 2022