BIOGRAPHY
American artist and author Richard Schmid was regarded by many as the world’s most influential artist. During his distinguished sixty plus career, Richard was the recipient of nearly every major American fine art award. His paintings were exhibited in more than fifty one-person Art shows and in 2003, Richard received a Doctorate of Fine Arts Degree from the Lyme Academy College of Fine Arts in Lyme, Connecticut.
RICHARD—SUNDAY MORNING oil, 16 x 12, 1991
“What could be more wonderful than the life of a painter?” – RS ALLA PRIMA II
HISTORIC EVENTS
Richard Schmid’s Masterwork, “Abbotsford House” Presented to Queen Elizabeth II, 2013
Due to the notable success of his landmark books, ALLA PRIMA II in 1998 and THE LANDSCAPES in 2009, Richard Schmid was involved in several major art commissions and events. In 2011, Richard traveled to Melrose, Scotland, to paint an oil sketch of Abbotsford directly from life before starting on the final masterwork, ABBOSTFORD HOUSE- the Ancestral Home of Sir Walter Scott. The 30 x 50 oil was presented by Kristen Thies, Richard’s emissary, to Her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth II at the Royal Opening of Abbotsford’s New Visitor Center in Melrose, Scotland in 2013.
Richard traveled to Melrose, Scotland, to paint a sketch of Abbotsford from life before starting on the final major painting.
“I am captivated by the prospect of painting this fascinating home of Sir Walter Scott, capturing the architectural beauty, colors, and the unique light of Scotland.” —RS
Due to the remarkable success of his landmark books, ALLA PRIMA II in 1998 and THE LANDSCAPES in 2009, Richard Schmid was invited to participate in several significant art commissions and events. The first, in 2011, was a very large painting of Abbotsford House, the manor home of Sir Walter Scott in Melrose, Scotland, which was presented by Richard’s emissary, Kristen to Queen Elizabeth II at the royal opening of Abbotsford’s New Visitor Center, Melrose, Scotland.
Richard traveled to Melrose, Scotland, to paint a sketch of Abbotsford from life before starting on the final major painting.
“I am captivated by the prospect of painting this fascinating home of Sir Walter Scott, capturing the architectural beauty, colors, and the unique light of Scotland.” —RS
Richard painting the home of Sir Walter Scott on location.
WATCH
The Creation of a Masterwork ABBOTSFORD HOUSE
Richard’s emissary, Kristen Thies presenting his painting, ABBOTSFORD HOUSE to Queen Elizabeth II at the royal opening of Abbotsford’s New Visitor Center, Melrose, Scotland. (Photo courtesy Abbotsford Trust)
Richard at work in his studio with paintings ABBOTSFORD HOUSE SKETCH (left) and in progress ABBOTSFORD HOUSE (right).
Close up of Richard’s precise tiny brushstroke
AWARDS OF DISTINCTION
Richard was the recipient of the John Singer Sargent Award from the American Portrait Society Foundation. The award was presented by Richard Ormond, John Singer Sargent’s grandnephew, at The Metropolitan Museum of Art, in New York City, in 2000
Richard is honored with the $100,000 award from the National Arts for the Parks Competition for his painting ROCKY MOUNTAIN STREAM, ROCKY MOUNTAIN NATIONAL PARK, presented by then Vice President George H. W. Bush in 1988
American unveiling of “ABBOTSFORD HOUSE,” oil, 30 x 50 at The Wichita Center for the Arts, with Doug Pringle, president, KT Wiedemann Foundation, and Lucy Maxwell Scott, descendant of Sir Walter Scott, 2012
Richard Schmid Recipient of the Portrait Society of America’s Gold Medal Award
SELECTED EXHIBITIONS
K. T. Wiedemann Foundation, Wichita, KS
Abbotsford, Melrose, Scotland: The Home of Sir Walter Scott
The Salmagundi Club, New York
St. Botolph Club, hosted by West Wind Fine Art
Richard Schmid Retrospective Exhibition, hosted by West Wind Fine Art at Gallery 1261
The Butler Institute of American Art
The Smithsonian Institution
The National Academy of Sciences
The Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts
The Art Institute of Chicago
The Harvard Club, Boston
The Connecticut Academy of Fine Arts
The National Academy of Design
The American Watercolor Society
The Thomas Gilcrease Museum
The Frye Museum
The Allied Artists of America
The Colorado Historical Society
The Holter Museum
The St. Louis Artist’s Guild
The Colorado Springs Fine Arts Center
The Tucson Museum of Art
The Albuquerque Museum of Art
The Loveland Museum
The Beijing Exhibition Center, China
