noun
artist; visual artist
Refers specifically to a practitioner of the visual arts (painting, sculpture, etc.), as opposed to a performing artist or musician.
彼女は有名な美術家で、多くの展覧会を開いている。
She is a famous artist and has held many exhibitions.
画家 specifically means 'painter', a subset of 美術家.
Compound of 美術 (fine arts) + 家 (person who does that as a profession).