native of Atlanta, Georgia, Suzanne Lavone Smith has maintained a focused interest in drawing and painting throughout her life. While majoring in Fine Art and Commercial Art in college, she received several academic awards of excellence. Throughout the last decade she has studied with many of the nation's most noted professional artists in advanced classes and workshops focusing on traditional techniques and portraiture. Her work may be seen in public places such as universities, hospitals, law firms, banks and libraries as well as in private collections and several on-line galleries.

In addition to numerous illustrations within her graphic arts career, Suzanne has produced and sold painted portraits since her teenage years. (For two examples of Suzanne's earliest commissions, click here.) Suzanne has always enjoyed capturing the human expression and exploring the inner character beneath the surface features. Her strong drawing skills lend themselves to capturing the likeness of the subject in each portrait with sensitive accuracy. Her mature work is realistic with an overall impressionistic painterly freshness. While deriving a great deal of influence from her studies with modern-day masters, Suzanne is most inspired by the styles of John Singer Sargent and Cecilia Beaux.

Suzanne is an active artist who regularly works from life in group sessions that she helps coordinate in Franklin, Tennessee. In addition to continuing her own life-long pursuit of artistic knowledge, Suzanne enjoys bringing fellow artists together for education and mutual support. From 2005 to 2008, she served in the volunteer position of Ambassador for the state of Tennessee members of the Portrait Society of America. Also noteworthy among her professional affiliations, Suzanne served as President of the Portrait Society of Atlanta from 2001 to 2003, with five additional years of volunteer service on its Board of Directors including two years as Editor of their nationally-recognized quarterly magazine, Folio. She achieved Juried Member status in the Portrait Society of Atlanta after being selected as a finalist in a number of their juried group exhibitions.

Suzanne's painting of "Rebecca" received a top award in The Portrait Society of Atlanta's Fall 2006 Juried Exhibition. In 2001, she was featured in the Member Spotlight article of the Summer issue of Folio. Though primarily involved with organizations focused on portraiture, Suzanne also is a member of the Oil Painters of America, the American Impressionist Society, the Catharine Lorillard Wolfe Art Club in New York, and is a Charter Associate of the Society of Master Impressionists.

Since 2001, Suzanne and her family have enjoyed living in Brentwood, Tennessee (Nashville area). Click here for career resume including a list of exhibitions and awards, master artists with whom Suzanne has studied, public events and published articles she has authored and co-authored. Suzanne now offers drawing and painting instruction to teens and adults in small group sessions. Please contact the artist for more information.