Clive Smith is a highly trained British painter interested in how contemporary painting can speak to modern societal issues. Born in St. Albans, England in 1967, the artist has lived and worked in New York since 1988. Smith was educated as an artist first in the U.K. at Kingston Polytechnic and then at the Art Students League in New York City. For two decades, Smith primarily focused on portraits, including self-portraits. Now in his recent work, Smith features intricate bird’s nests that gracefully rest on exquisite ceramic plates.