A native of southern California, Jeff Daniel Smith was born with a passion for art. Constantly drawing as a child, he later won awards in high school art shows. He attended El Camino College, focusing on drawing, painting and art history.
While still in his mid twenties, Smith began working for commercial studios which specialized in the creation of paintings and murals for commercial spaces; and later, backdrops for photography and film. It was a good experience for the young artist, allowing him to paint on a large scale, in a wide variety of subjects and styles.


Upon moving to the Monterey Peninsula in 1994 he became inspired by the natural beauty of the area. His use of bold brushwork and lively color make his oils stand out. Smith is a plein air painter, working primarily on location. He is a member of the Informalists Plein Air group and was a featured artist in their group show at the Miller Galler in Cincinnati in 2001. In addition to the Carmel Art Association Gallery Smith's work can also be seen at Galerie Plein Air in Carmel.


Smith has won awards as a participant in the annual Carmel Art Festival, an invitational plein-air contest, and was a member of a three-person group show in 2001at the Carmel Art Association. In addition, he was a featured artist on the television special, "Art in the Garden" in July, 200l. A member of the CAA since 1998, he currently serves on the Board of Directors.