Pehr A.W. Smith

Pehr A.W. Smith is an Adjunct Professor in the Department of Art at Austin Community College, where he has taught since 1997. An active artist based in Austin, Texas, his work merges figural and abstract forms across painting, drawing, and collage, recognized for its visceral intensity and exhibited nationally and internationally.

His academic foundation includes:

• BFA with Department Honors in Painting from Webster University
• Studies at Victoria College of Art (Victoria, British Columbia)
• MFA in Painting from The University of Texas at Austin

Smith's artistic practice explores the tension between representation and abstraction, drawing inspiration from masters like Rembrandt, Van Gogh, and Pollock. He views contemporary art as a critical 'common language' for navigating global upheavals, emphasizing emotional authenticity and intellectual engagement. His teaching philosophy centers on igniting creative passion through joyful discovery, as reflected in courses like Drawing I (ARTS 1316).

Smith's work features in Webster University's 100th-Anniversary Alumni Exhibition (2015) and resides in the Office of the Chancellor at ACC alongside corporate and private collections nationwide. He actively contributes to Austin's cultural ecosystem through music performance and advocacy for accessible arts education.