Richard Schmid

I had a Richard Schmid Christmas. Many of you probably don't even know what that means or who Richard Schmid is, but artists do. Schmid is by my beliefs the most talented living artist the world has today. You can see his work here: http://www.richardschmid.com/. Go ahead, its worth the click.

I was first introduced to him through Artists Magazine years ago. I still remember falling in love through pages of delicate, surprising, romantic still-life's. The edges of things would disappear and other forms would emerge. Pink ribbons swirled and twirled in large loops, just off the spool, catching light, moving gently around long stemmed flowers in such delicate embrace then disappearing and reemerging as his forms always do. A romantic dance of peek-a-boo captured on every painting. I remember staring at these images for hours wondering how he could paint these unbelievable paintings. I could just touch and smell his roses and along the delicate exposed stems the leaves were just as magnificent. He painted the most perfect leaves. I was so drawn to them.

Alla Prima, a wonderful book, became part of my collection as soon as it was released. I was fortunate enough to be present at the filming of his first educational video. I listened to his every word. I asked him questions. I went to shake his hand. He was down to earth. A gentile man eager to share his secrets, his talents with those who would listen. Mike bought a still-life print and surprised me for my birthday that year. I think the framer he chose understood the greatness of this work for he triple matted it, picking up soft tones from the painting, and placing it in a frame far larger than the original print. It is a powerful piece to behold.

Now my home has a second print by Richard Schmid. Its a landscape, green like the Ireland we recently visited. A lone tree trunk and golden diagonals in the foreground hill direct the eye to distant houses obscured in the atmospheric haze. A feeling of comfort, of safety, of being one with nature comes over the viewer. Its only a print. How must the actual painting make one feel, I wonder?

I also received his latest book, Landscapes. I'm at a lost for words. Its a wow...