K. C. SMITH

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"Purple Haze"

K.C. Smith, "Purple Haze," oil on canvas, 24" x 30".

K. C. SMITH

By Jennifer MacLeod and Shannon Heth

Keith C. Smith (1924 - 2000) came to his professional painting career late in life, achieving significant success in just over a decade. He pursued his passion for painting the wilderness and wildlife of Western Canada as an amateur throughout much of his life, while earning his living in a variety of careers, from park naturalist to soldier to cowboy. He was an avid outdoorsman, enjoying fishing, sailing, hiking and bicycling near his Vancouver Island home. "He was a conservationist," says Alice Law of Stephen Lowe Art Gallery. "His work reflects a true love of wilderness. He was a mentor to many beginning artists, and is remembered for his immense generosity and unbounded love of life." Stephen Lowe Art Gallery is on the second level, Bow Valley Square, 255 - 5 Avenue SW in Calgary.