Artist, Dimensional Art | Read Artist Bio
Artist Bio:
“God has given me the talent and vision to be able to create what I see in the natural world around me. My greatest joy and feeling of accomplishment comes from pleasing others with these creations.”
Lona Hymas-Smith
Lona has lived her entire life on the banks of the Snake River in Southern Idaho, where she spent the greater part of her life on, or under water. Her infrequent time spent on dry land from the time she was about five has also been filled with a passion for art, especially drawing and sculpture.
She majored in 3 dimensional art and studied with Leon Parson at BYU Idaho. However, it was not until many years later that she applied that training in a most unexpected way when she began carving fish and birds. It just sort of evolved from the first really hideous and crude, somehow inspired attempt at a Rainbow Trout 17 years ago made from a pine two by four with chisel, hammer, and rasp.
She is primarily self taught and because of her inquisitive nature, she has experimented with many different media to incorporate in the process of her woodcarving.
Not only has she done most of her research and studies independently but has worked with such artists as friend and mentor, Floyd Scholz who is universally recognized as the most famous raptor carver in the world. She has had the great honor of collaborating with Floyd on two major carving commissions in 2010.
Currently she is working with Terry Bowyer, Chair/Professor of Department of Biological Sciences and David Delehanty, Professor of Ornithology on a non profit program for research and preservation of native Idaho birds.
Throughout her career, Lona has received many awards, both nationally and in the Ward World Championship.
She`s been carving professionally for 15 years now, and is represented in private collections as well as national museums and galleries throughout the U.S. and Canada, including The Kneeland Gallery of Sun Valley, Idaho; Horizon Gallery of Jackson, Wyoming; The Mountain Art Gathering in Keystone, Colorado; The National Hummingbird Society in Sedona, Arizona; the Bronx Zoo in New York; and The University of Tulsa Gilcrease Museum in Tulsa, Oklahoma.
Lona`s one of a kind sculptures are in great demand and her works routinely command prices of $1,500 to $13,000.
She has been given the ability to visually express her deep connection with, and love for the overlooked life within the natural world.
Her greatest joy and feeling of accomplishment comes with capturing the pure magic of the simplest moments in nature and sharing this gentle love and excitement of all things wild.