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Aesthetic
tastes are as varied as the styles they seek: from the decorative murals of early Pompeian Italy to the
austere spirituality of the Gothic;
the lush opulence of the late Baroque and Rococo to the more subtle
compilations of the Empire and Neoclassical. In the Victorian we see again the floral and organic as it pares
down to the cool elegance of Art Deco...
We
arrive at our own decades often with seemingly stark stylistic polarities, but
those that reflect the varied tastes of individuals- in itself a type of modern
aesthetic: an eclectic style.
My name is Richard Smith. My experience in the
decorative painting field has brought me into contact with many of the
attitudes and styles that constitute the modern aesthetic. For over 20 years my work has been
based in New York doing decorative painting and fine art for a variety of
clients and decorators locally and nationally, from fine quality easel
paintings to large scale projects with murals, sculpture, gilding and faux
finishes. This work has taken me from estates in Palm Beach, Washington DC, Dallas,
St. Louis, Boston, San Fransisco, Long Island, and New Jersey to the Penthouse
suites, hotels, restaurants and corporate offices of Manhattan.
Often the request is for
simple elegant surface textures as background for an art collection or to
highlight and augment other decor.
These textures, commonly known as faux finishes, range from subtle glazes and patinas to graining or
marbleizing (faux bois and faux marbre) of walls or detail moldings.
The variety of simulations and inventions is endless: encaustic, parchment, leather, grass
thatch, fabric etc.; stencils as
borders or entire walls of Victorian patterns; gold and other metallic gilding of ceilings and walls or
highlights on moldings or Corinthian capitals; patinated surfaces of gold; or painted furniture often made to appear mellow with age. And of course, there is the Venetian Plasters: a variety of sheens and textures can be obtained with these slaked lime plasters and their marble dust additives; a beautiful product to the eye and touch.
The
more ornate sensibilities request trompe l’oeil: moldings and motifs painted on surfaces to appear three
dimensional. Murals are the
grandest illusionistic form of trompe l’oeil: images painted in niches or entire rooms of walls and
ceilings painted on sight or in the studio on canvas and installed. The final
highlight is often a portrait or framed painting bringing the client's and/or
decorator's concept to completion.
I have a Bachelor of Fine
Arts in Painting from Rhode Island School of Design and a Masters of Fine Arts
in Painting from The Graduate
School of Figurative Art of the New York Academy of Art. My business is insured and a list of
references is available.
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