Editor’s Letter | Living Master

Honoring painter Richard Schmid

By Kristin Hoerth

Blue Cup and Pansies by Richard Schmid.

Blue Cup and Pansies by Richard Schmid.

This story was featured in the September 2016 issue of Southwest Art magazine. Get the Southwest Art  September 2016 print issue or digital download now–then subscribe to Southwest Art and never miss another story.

I first met Richard Schmid during a visit to Colorado some 20 years ago. It was relatively early in my career at Southwest Art, and while I knew that he was a highly regarded artist, I don’t think I was experienced enough at the time to fully appreciate the breadth of his influence on the art world. It didn’t take any experience, though, to appreciate his graciousness and kindness, even toward a young editor.

Today, of course, his renown is firmly established. His exquisite and highly sought-after paintings have won numerous awards, including the $100,000 grand prize in the prestigious Arts for the Parks competition, the John Singer Sargent Medal for Lifetime Achievement from the American Society of Portrait Artists, the Salmagundi Club Medal of Honor, and multiple awards from the California Art Club. His large painting of Abbotsford House, the home of Scottish poet, novelist, and playwright Sir Walter Scott, was received by Queen Elizabeth II during ceremonies celebrating the reopening of the home in 2012.

Through it all, Schmid has championed what is known as the Grand Manner, an idealized aesthetic style which he describes as “a mingling of virtuosity and unrestrained joy in art.” He studied at the American Academy of Art in Chicago with William H. Mosby, an expert on European and American realism, who stressed the absolute importance of painting from life.

Schmid has become almost as revered for his teaching as for his artwork itself. His instructional books and videos have sold widely. His landmark book Alla Prima: Everything I Know About Painting, first published in 1998, went into 13 printings; an expanded edition was published in 2013. Among the countless artists who have been educated and inspired by Schmid are widely respected painters Quang Ho, Scott Burdick, Dan Gerhartz, Kathy Anderson, Daniel Keys, Michelle Dunaway, and many others.

Today Schmid’s works are rarely seen in shows and galleries, so collectors and enthusiasts alike are thrilled that Gallery 1261 in Denver is the venue for a significant retrospective this month. With at least 30 works on loan from private collections, it’s sure to be a major event. You can read more about it in this issue on pages 36-37.

This story was featured in the September 2016 issue of Southwest Art magazine. Get the Southwest Art  September 2016 print issue or digital download now–then subscribe to Southwest Art and never miss another story.

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