My art functions as a document of imagination, memory, and the creative process. I am fascinated with the language of color, shape and the illusion of space.
REVIEWS
“Fresh and challenging aptly describes Brian Smith, his innate sense of movement and color seize the reigns. Thick sweeping brushstrokes flurry about the canvas; occasional paint drops remain, dried and untouched, adding to the works textural depth. Smith’s wonderful palette lives up to the standards of his previous work…he has the capability to keep things in order, to present images in a manner that we find familiar and identifiable, but takes the next step – that
of creating a shared experience through the abstract conveyance of
emotion and feeling.” -Jeff Daniel St. Louis Post-Dispatch |
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“If
you like bright colors and abstract compositions, then you will really
like Smith’s paintings. They are big, bold and pretty. Some
resemble – if you squint – landscapes
of odd colors. Others are more like big, vibrant splashes of color,
color that Smith applies every which way: with big and small brushes;
as a glaze; as a thick impasto; or occasionally combs through. His
paint is so luscious it almost looks wet.” -Carol Ferring Shepley St. Louis Post-Dispatch |
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“Smith
succeeds in his intersections. He is interested in the connections
of planes, and it is here that his images come alive. The interplay
of color, line and the accidental nature of the paint is truly engaging.
Within the intersections the vitality and freshness of his approach
comes to the forefront. There is a reference to landscape, but it is
secondary to the success of the compositions. He uses color to create
the illusion of depth while maintaining the effectiveness of the surface.” |
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“Smith’s painting of the natural world in his abstract vernacular is the equivalent of a supercharged love affair. He works in evolving, textural layers of glorious hues, brushed and scraped to create the illusion of space and light that resembles sky, water, rocks, hills. Consider Smith’s color palette…all brought together in a fabulous hedonistic concoction that stirs soulfully as well as sensually. I viewed Smith’s
new work on one of those miserable, stifling July days when the heat
index was reported as being 114 degrees. After leaving the gallery,
I could not help but be grateful for this natural world and those
who interpret it.” -Teresa Callahan West End-Clayton Word |
SELECTED ONE PERSON EXHIBITIONS
2007
Nicholls State University, Brian D. Smith: Abstractions, Thibodaux, LA
2006
Duane
Reed Gallery, Brian
D. Smith, New Paintings,
St. Louis, MO
2003
Duane Reed Gallery, Brian D. Smith: New
Paintings and Works on Paper, St. Louis, MO
2002
Schmidt Art Center - Southwestern Illinois College, Clear
Color: Brian D. Smith,
Belleville, IL
Florissant Valley Community College, Brian D. Smith -
Paintings,
St. Louis, MO
2001
Duane Reed Gallery, Brian D. Smith: New Work, St. Louis, MO
1997
Duane Reed Gallery, Brian Smith:
Paintings And Works on Paper, St. Louis, MO
1995
The Bonsack Gallery, Brian Smith:
Paintings, St. Louis, MO
1994
Meramec Community College, Brian
Smith: Recent Work, St. Louis, MO
1993
Artemisia Gallery, Brian Smith:
Landscape Paintings, Chicago, IL
William Shearburn Fine Art, Brian Smith: New Landscape
Paintings, St. Louis,
MO
SELECTED GROUP EXHIBITIONS
2007
Foundry Art Centre, The Regional College
Art Faculty Exhibition, St. Charles,
MO
2006
Contemporary Art Museum Saint Louis, Flat Files, St. Louis, MO
2005
Art St. Louis, Open Space: The Art of The Landscape, Juror: Michael
Eastman, St. Louis, MO
Art St. Louis, Surfaces: Within And Without, Jurors: Victor Wang and Laura Strand,
St. Louis, MO
2004
Meramec Community College, Ovals, Invitational Collaborative Exhibit, St.
Louis, MO
Art St. Louis, Mapping Memory, Juror: Clara Coleman (Curator, Laumeier
Sculpture Park), St. Louis,
MO
2003
The Quincy Arts Center, 53rd Annual Quad-State Juried
Exhibition, Quincy,
IL
Art St. Louis, Primordial I: Water, Jurors: Carol Carter and Carolyn Miles,
St. Louis, MO
2002
Forest Park Community College, Painted Plates and Vessels,
2nd Invitational
Collaborative Exhibit,
St. Louis, MO
2001
Core New Art Space, New Works on Paper Exhibition, Juror: William Havu, Denver,
CO
Art St. Louis, Honor Awards 2001, Juror: Patrick Schucard, St. Louis, MO
The Quincy Arts Center, 51st Annual Quad-State Juried Exhibition,
Juror: Dr.
Louis Zona, Quincy,
IL
2000
Art St. Louis, Art St. Louis XVI:The Exhibition, Juror: Doug Dreishpoon
(Curator, The Albright Knox Gallery)
St. Louis,
MO *Award of Excellence Recipient
Washington University, Des Lee Gallery, Landscape Exhibition (Invitational),
St. Louis, MO
IN/FORM 6-The Exhibition, St. Louis, MO
Art St. Louis, Honor Awards 2000, Juror: Paul Dresang, St. Louis, MO
1999
Art St. Louis, Art St. Louis XV: The Exhibition,
Juror: Tobi Kahn, St. Louis, MO *Award of
Excellence Recipient
The Kansas City Artists Coalition, River Market Regional
Exhibition,
Juror:
Janet Bishop (Curator
of Painting and Sculpture, San Francisco MOMA), Kansas City, MO
Forest Park Community College, Painted Plates, Invitational Collaborative Exhibit,
St. Louis, MO
1998
Art St. Louis, The Golden Mean, Juror: Olivia Lahs-Gonzales (Curator of Photography,
The St. Louis Art Museum) St. Louis, MO
Meramec Community College Gallery, The Landscape Show (Invitational), St. Louis,
MO
1997
Exhibit ‘97, The National Oil and Acrylic Painters Society, Juried Show,
Osage Beach, MO
Art St. Louis, Drawing Redefined, Jurors: Bob Hansman and Leon Anderson, St.
Louis, MO
The St. Louis Artists Guild, Oil, Acrylic and Egg Tempera
Exhibition, St. Louis,
MO
1996
The May Gallery, Maryville University, Sharing Images;
Jewish and Black Artists (Invitational),
St. Louis, MO
1995
Northeast Missouri State University, The National Art
Competition, Juror: Charlotta
Kotik
(Curator
of Contemporary Art, The Brooklyn Museum), Kirksville, MO
Art St. Louis, Art St. Louis, XI: The Exhibition, Juror: Jean Van
Harlingen, St. Louis, MO
1994
Galesburg Civic Art Center, Galex 28 National Juried Competition Juror:
Ronald Greenberg,
Galesburg, IL *Merit Award
Recipient
Exhibit ‘94, The National Oil and Acrylic Painters Society, Juried Show,
Osage Beach, MO
1993
Marysville Masterpiece Art Competition, Juror: Tree Stokes, Marysville, KS
*Merit Award Recipient
Second Story Gallery, Earth, Water, Sky, Juried Show, Seattle, WA
Art St. Louis, Honor Awards Exhibition, St. Louis, MO
1992
Alabama State University, Urban and Rural Landscapes, Five Person Exhibit,
Montgomery, AL
Art St. Louis, Art St. Louis - VIII: The Exhibition, Juror:
Eleanor Heartney, St. Louis, MO
*Honor Award Recipient
1989
Gallery 1935, Constructive Anxiety (Invitational), Chicago, IL
The Jones Fifth Annual All Illinois Art Competition, Evanston, IL, Juror: Susan
Senseman
Aristoi, Group Show, Milwaukee, WI
SELECTED BIBLIOGRAPHY
2005
Teresa Callahan, "What is a Landscape?" West
End Word, August 10
2001
Carol Ferring Shepley, “Area Artists Show Their Vigor, Variety of Painting”,
St. Louis Post Dispatch, August 12
Teresa Callahan, “Smith, Seven Painters Prove that Art is very Much Alive,”
West End Word, August 2
Jeff Daniel, “Art St. Louis Honorees Finish Strong,” St. Louis
Post Dispatch, March 25
2000
Jeff Daniel, “The Year in Art,” St. Louis Post Dispatch, December
31
Jeff Daniel, “The Exhibition, features wide range of mediums, sensibilities”
St. Louis Post Dispatch, December 10
Jeff Daniel, “IN/FORM 6, The Exhibition” St. Louis Post Dispatch,
November 12
Jeff Daniel, “Landscapes go in All Directions as Far as The Eye Can See”
St. Louis Post Dispatch, July 9
1999
Jeff Daniel, “Art St. Louis XV: The Exhibition” St. Louis Post
Dispatch, December 5
1998
Angela Reinoehl, “Brian Smith,” Art St. Louis Newsletter
1997
Jeff Daniel, “Revitalizing The Abstract,” St. Louis Post Dispatch,
June 5
John Wright, “Out of The Ordinary,” The Riverfront Times, June
11
1995
Jeff Daniel, “A Last Look At Nine Eye Openers,” St. Louis Post
Dispatch, December 30
1994
Carol Ferring Shepley, “Brian Smith: Clumps and Other Forms,” St.
Louis Post Dispatch February 17
1993
Carol Ferring Shepley, “Honor Awards Winners are a Diverse Lot,”
St. Louis Post Dispatch, February 10
1992
Kim Ferger Lloyd, “Exhibit of 67 Local Artists Showcases City’s
Diversity,”
West End Word, October 29
Robert Duffy, “Shape Defines Brian Smith’s Bold Art,” St. Louis
Post Dispatch, October 21
1991
Robert Duffy, “Eleven Diverse Views at Utopian Loft,” St. Louis
Post Dispatch, November 27
EDUCATION
The University of Chicago, M.F.A. in Painting,
Chicago, IL –
Masters Thesis: “Moments
and Places in Nature.”
AWARDS: University Tuition Award 1987 - 1989, Boettcher Academic Scholarship
1989
Boston University, B.F.A. in Painting, Boston, MA
AWARD: Ford Foundation Scholarship 1980 - 1984
SELECTED COLLECTIONS
A.G. Edwards, St. Louis, MO
Emerson Electric, St. Louis, MO
Herzog & Crebs, St. Louis, MO
Husch, Blackwell & Sanders LLP, Denver, CO
Macy’s Department Stores: St. Louis, MO, Houston, TX, Columbia, MO, Independence,
MO, Franklin, TN
Polsinelli, Shalton, Flanigan, Suelthaus PC, St. Louis, MO, Kansas City,
MO, Washington D.C.
Washington
University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO
TEACHING EXPERIENCE
Presently - Full Time Faculty Member
Full Professor of Visual Art and Art Program Coordinator
Fine Arts Gallery Director (1998-2003 and 2006-2008)
Chair, Department of Humanities and Performing & Visual Arts (1999-2002)
St. Charles Community College, St. Peters, MO
GUEST ARTIST / LECTURER
2007
Nicholls State University, Thibodaux, LA
2006
Webster University, St. Louis, MO
Fontbonne University, St. Louis, MO
2001
Southern Illinois University at Carbondale, Carbondale, IL
Southern Illinois University at Edwardsville, Edwardsville, IL
1989
Ball State University, Muncie IN
JUROR
2008
Art and Air, St. Louis, MO
2007
White Washed - Shades of White, Art St. Louis Gallery, St. Louis, MO
2006
Laumeier Art Fair, Laumeier Sculpture Park, St. Louis, MO
The act of painting is a vital experience. I create from an intuitive base, constantly analyzing and striving for a particular logic and whole. My process is apparent in the varied surfaces of the paintings, which is the result of mining the mental, emotional and spiritual realms in order to convey an authentic sensibility.
A dazzling optical effect, a metaphorical sense of shape and a spirited emotional quality are fundamental characteristics of my art. The sensuous qualities of paint help to make these aspects conspicuous and abstract.
Completed paintings act as models and fragments of an imagined world and reveal my responses to the art that inspires me.
– Brian D. Smith
