MATT SMITH
SIMPLIFYING
THE LANDSCAPE
MATT SMITH
MENTORING MEMBERSHIP
$895 USD PER YEAR
(Billed annually, renews once per year)
or
$85 USD PER MONTH
(Month-to-month, cancel/pause anytime)
ENROLLMENT OPENS
MARCH 10, 2026
(Be First in Line — Reserve Your Spot)
WHAT’S INSIDE
This membership gives you full access to Matt Smith’s “Simplifying the Landscape” course, including ongoing mentoring designed to help you develop stronger judgment, better design, and a clearer understanding of the landscape.
You’ll work through a structured series of lessons focused on simplification, value control, color relationships, and composition. Matt walks you through how an experienced painter reads a scene, makes decisions, and avoids unnecessary complexity.
This membership is ideal if you paint mostly alone and want thoughtful feedback. Matt’s mentoring is not tied to a fixed timeline. Instead of rushing through material, you’re encouraged to absorb the concepts gradually, revisit lessons, and apply them as your skills evolve. This approach allows the learning to deepen over time rather than expire after a set period.
Your access to Matt’s mentoring and course material continues as long as you remain an active member through a yearly or monthly membership option.
We invite you to join us and experience why so many students remain long term. Growth here compounds over time. This isn’t about tricks, shortcuts, or formulas — it’s built on solid fundamentals and thoughtful guidance from Matt. Most importantly, students stop feeling lost and understand why a painting isn’t working — not just that it isn’t.
MODULE 1 | INTRO
I will begin this course with a brief description on how it is laid out. This will aid students in anticipating what is to come. I will then review my choice of preferred supplies and equipment for both field and studio work. There are so many products out there that even the most seasoned professional can end up confused over what really works. A strong understanding of these products will allow us to focus on the more important principles to come. I will also spend time on how my studio is laid out including lighting, ventilation, organization and much more. Then, I’ll discuss my field kit, and how to slim down what I take outdoors so that I am not burdened or limited by excessive weight.
MODULE 2 | DRAWING
It all starts with drawing. Without believable, accurate drawing your painting won't work. In this module I will discuss the two basic properties of drawing, and how to use them to analyze your subject in an effort to better understand the painting at hand. I will then illustrate these points with a detailed demonstration that reinforces these all important properties.
MODULE 3 | VALUE
People often times overlook value in favor of color. That's a big mistake. If your values aren't accurate, color will not save the painting. In this module, I will discuss the importance of value, what to look for, and how to simplify your value range to reinforce design. I will also cover the use of value to create a strong sense of light, atmospheric perspective, mood, and impact. I will then support these points with a demonstration that illustrates these concepts and also showcase strong value contrast, and large, simple masses with a very close value range.
MODULE 4 | DESIGN
Design is nothing more that the arrangement of elements in space. Not just physical things, but shape, value, line, color, texture, edges and much more. Elements that make art rather than paintings. I will discuss these points and what to consider when analyzing and selecting a solid, paintable motif. A motif with a strong yet simple presence. A motif that puts you closer to a successful work of art. From format to finish, I will then illustrate these points with a demonstration that clearly shows balance form left to right, top to bottom, and foreground to background. I will do so with a subject that clearly supports many of the elements discussed.
MODULE 5 | COLOR
Color . . . that almighty, exciting fundamental that we all respond to differently. The most personal of the basics. One that evokes emotion in a unique way for each of us. But wait, if color is so important, why is it the only fundamental that we can do without? In module five, I will discuss this. I will cover the four properties of color, and how to use them to select your palette, in an effort to maximize range. In addition, I’ll cover the importance of these four properties when it comes to analyzing your subject. I’ll then spend time on mixing with complements, the use of broken color, and why earth colors can be so significant and at the same time dangerous when painting the landscape. All these points will be illustrated in a demonstration that showcases a subject with a strong color temperature contrast.
SUGGESTED SUPPLY LIST
{Although Matt has a preference for oil paint, he is happy to help students explore and work with their preferred medium, whether it's acrylics, gouache, pastels, or watercolors.}
BONUS | A SOLID START - APPLYING THE FUNDAMENTALS WHEN SELECTING A MOTIF
Only students in this course receive this special bonus video - it’s not available for purchase anywhere.
In this 88-minute never-before-seen video, Matt shares how to select a motif that clearly illustrates all of the fundamentals discussed in this course.
A start-to-finish painting demonstration where you'll see his thought process and blueprint for capturing a scene on location and how he composes the photograph back in the studio.
Then find out his techniques for moving elements around in an effort to reinforce the composition, how to play up value shifts or make them more subtle, when to exaggerate color in an effort to create impact or depth, and why the use of warm and cool contrasts will help increase interest.
You can download and save this video in a safe place. It's yours to keep as a takeaway when your course access ends.
MEET YOUR MENTOR
~ MATT SMITH
Born in Kansas City, Missouri, and moved with his family when he was very young to Scottsdale, Arizona. During his grade-school years, the family lived for a few years in Toulouse, France, and Geneva, Switzerland. He traveled to various other countries, including Italy, Germany, Austria, and Spain which exposed him to the work of many of the great masters. This stimulated his interest in art and was a contributing factor in what was to become his lifelong commitment to painting.
His connection to actual subjects allows Matt to paint landscapes from direct observation during all seasons, reinforcing both his plein-air and studio work. He is considered one of the premier plein-air painters in the United States. He has several prestigious awards for his work and has participated in numerous major museum shows.
Matt is a true artist of American landscapes and for over 30 years Matt has been teaching his craft. His critiques are clear, honest, and focused on helping you improve — not impressing you.
Students consistently say the same thing:
Matt sees exactly what’s holding a painting back — and explains it in a way that finally makes sense.
I'm excited to connect with you and help you grow as an artist, whether you’re just beginning or quite advanced. ~ Matt Smith
Matt is a Signature Member of the prestigious PAPA (Plein-air Painter's of America)
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“I wanted to express a big THANK YOU to Matt and my classmates. I didn’t know what to expect when I signed up for this class, but it exceeded expectations by a mile—especially the private community group, where Matt thoughtfully critiques every post. I was initially concerned about the number of students in class, but it turned out to be an asset. Yes, I’ve learned maybe more from other students than from my own posts. I’ve learned more about design, perspective, values, massing, reflected light, counter angles, brushwork, texture, shadows, and - most notably, documenting or celebrating a place. Matt is always spot-on with his critiques. His support, warmth, consistency, humor, generosity - and superhuman ability to work with everyone simultaneously! You’re the BEST mentor.”
“On this journey with Matt, I have learned a lot. I learned important techniques and composition criteria, which showed me how to get up after failures and continue. Matt, your private course community also contributed to this. I learned so much from studying your critiques and your comments on all the student’s work. Your detailed explanations, which even beginners could understand, encouraged me greatly. You have a great way of teaching others. The course videos are great, didactically thoughtful, and educational, and I have watched some more than once to better understand the lessons and internalize the principles. Thank you very much, Matt, it was an honor to be mentored by you.”
“The format of the course is really great. With Matt keeping the foundational principles at the core of his mentoring and allowing us to refer back to these really reinforces our learning. It’s so interesting how varied our paintings are within this course yet the lessons help everyone advance. The course is also such a supportive environment; everyone is encouraging and helpful. An artist’s life is often spent in the enjoyable self-imposed isolation of our studios or solo Plein air painting outings, but this online format has been a creative lifeline for us all. Thank you Matt for all you do to make us better!”
WHAT’S INCLUDED
Whether you’re an intermediate painter working to strengthen your fundamentals or a more advanced artist refining your landscape work, this mentoring membership provides a focused, practical learning experience built around how real painters think and work—designed to support growth over time rather than rushing toward a finish line.
Ongoing Mentoring with Matt Smith
This is not a short-term workshop or a one-off class. Mentoring is delivered through an ongoing membership, giving you continued access to Matt’s teaching, insights, and guidance for as long as you remain enrolled.
The emphasis is on developing judgment, clarity, and confidence—skills that evolve through repeated exposure and application, not quick fixes. Many landscape painters struggle with the same quiet frustration: You know how to paint. You understand color. You put in the time, and yet your paintings still feel busy, overworked, or unclear.
This membership exists for one reason: to help you simplify without losing strength, structure, or personality. Matt Smith teaches painters how to see what actually matters — and how to leave the rest out.
Learn at Your Own Pace
All instruction is delivered through professionally recorded videos, allowing you to learn when and where it suits you. Watch lessons on your own schedule, pause and rewind as needed, and revisit material whenever a concept clicks differently the second—or third—time.
Your access remains active as long as your membership is active, so learning can unfold naturally alongside your painting practice.
Over-the-Shoulder Demonstrations
You’ll gain access to more than 20 hours of in-depth oil painting demonstrations. These sessions show not only what Matt does, but why he makes certain decisions—covering simplification, value control, color relationships, and composition.
Each module includes assignments and photo references to help you apply what you’re learning, making the experience both instructional and practical.
Ongoing Additions & Growing Library
As a member, you gain access to an expanding library of lessons and recorded material. New content is added periodically, and all previously released material remains available to you while you’re enrolled.
This growing archive allows you to explore topics over time and revisit concepts as your understanding deepens.
A Private, Focused Community — No Social Media
We’ve moved away from Facebook and built a private, purpose-designed community directly within your account. This distraction-free space is created specifically for artists—no algorithms, no noise, no social media fatigue.
Here, you’ll connect with Matt and fellow members, share your work, ask questions, and engage in thoughtful discussion focused entirely on painting and growth.
Community Guidance Led by Matt
As part of the membership, you’re included in a community guided by Matt’s experience as a working professional artist. You’ll gain insight into how he approaches painting, problem-solving, and long-term artistic development.
The goal isn’t simply personalized feedback on your paintings. It’s direct access to how an experienced painter thinks — the decisions he makes, the mistakes he’s learned from, the stories behind the work, and the lessons gathered from a life devoted to painting. Students consistently say this level of insight is rare — and invaluable.
AI-Powered Course Search
The course includes an AI-powered search tool built entirely from Matt’s own videos and teaching content. Ask a question, and the system instantly locates the exact moment in the course where that topic is discussed.
You can watch the video or read the transcript—saving time and helping you get straight to the information you need, when you need it.
Extensive Archive of Past Critiques
Members also receive access to a deep archive of recorded student critiques and teaching sessions. These include real student work, detailed analysis, and practical solutions to common painting challenges.
Watching Matt diagnose and correct problems in real time offers invaluable insight and helps you sharpen your own eye—at your own pace, and on your own schedule.
DISCOVER WHY THIS COURSE IS DIFFERENT!
Many landscape courses offer short-term instruction with an expiration date. This course takes a different approach by providing ongoing mentoring within a membership, allowing real growth to happen over time.
Matt Smith focuses on teaching painters how to see, simplify, and make confident decisions—skills that don’t develop overnight. This mentoring membership emphasizes fundamentals that remain relevant no matter where you are in your painting journey.
Because the course is membership-based, you’re not pressured to “get through” the material before access ends. You can return to lessons, reinforce concepts, and continue learning at your own pace while remaining a member.
This is mentoring designed for painters who want lasting improvement—not quick fixes.
MATT SMITH
MENTORING MEMBERSHIP
$895 USD PER YEAR
(Billed annually, renews once per year)
or
$85 USD PER MONTH
(Month-to-month, cancel/pause anytime)
ENROLLMENT OPENS
MARCH 10, 2026
(Be First in Line — Reserve Your Spot)