Wayne Smith was born and raised in Ajo, Arizona, a beautiful Sonoran Desert area near the Mexican border where we see many towering Saguaro cacti and rugged blue and violet mountains. Smith now lives in Sedona, Arizona, surrounded by the picturesque red rock mountains and Prickly Pear cacti that Sedona is known for. Prickly pear cacti of every imaginable color are prevalent in the Sedona area. Smith enjoys painting both Sedona landscapes and the landscapes of Southern Arizona’s Sonoran Desert. He finds it amazing at how desert cacti types vary so greatly across the desert areas depending on even small changes in elevation. Smith began drawing and painting when he was very young as he watched his uncle, Bill Owen, rise to become a member of the prestigious Cowboy Artists of America. Owen became Smith’s mentor and involved him in multiple art shows. Smith’s paintings are sold through galleries, government programs and private collectors. • Mesa Museum Shows • Von Grobel gallery • Windrush gallery • Hugh Perry gallery • Phippen Museum of Western Art – permanent collection • Bureau of Land Management Desert Wilderness Act – permanent collection • Sky Harbour Airport - City of Phoenix - permanent collection • Paris France Association Pour La Promotion Du Patrimoine Artisque Francais – 2 month show