About

A third generation Longmont native, Gregory A. Smoot is a graduate of Longmont High School and the University of Colorado in Boulder. Greg is a premier wood sculpture and birds, fish, butterflies, people, flowers, and animals are fair game for Greg's creativity. Realism is his hallmark. A self-taught artist in both paint and wood, his works have become known for their genuinely life-like appearance. A Smoot-carved bird or fish can easily be mistaken for the work of a taxidermist.

Greg's expertise gained as artist on canvas and through meticulous studies of nature reveals itself in his wood sculptures. A trout in water glistens as if still in water; a bird's feathers look as if they would ruffle in the wind and feel soft to the touch. Greg shapes and forms each subject with attention to the smallest detail and applies color so as to accurately reproduce the subject as it exists in nature. Often a sculpture is combined with natural elements such as branches or rocks to complete a vignette from outdoors to be enjoyed indoors.

Greg served in the US Navy as a submarine nuclear power plant operator and worked 16 years at the St. Vrain nuclear plant near Platteville, CO instructing reactor fuel handlers. During that time his hobby of wood sculpting was gaining attention from friends and peers. He now devotes full time to his craft and his work is gaining wide recognition.

Greg is listed in the Colorado Artist's Register and is a member of the National Woodcarvers Association.