Richard Schmid And His Influence On Nancie King Mertz

It’s Friday! And Advisory Board member Nancie King Mertz is here to talk about Richard Schmid (1934-2021) and his influence on her work. She’s answering the question: 

What painting—either a master/historical piece or a contemporary work— or artist has made the most impact on you? And why or how?

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“Richard Schmid was briefly in my grasp at the Palette & Chisel Academy of Fine Arts when we first moved to Chicago. His mastery influenced a wide collection of painters and will continue to do so, even though he’s gone.

Richard would casually paint alongside us on the third-floor studio of the Palette & Chisel in the late ’80s, and early ’90s. He would sit near the model stand and begin painting an eye on a lightly toned canvas. The face and figure would grow from there into a perfect likeness in an Impressionistic manner. His brushwork was astounding and he would state, “a painter must not apply a mark unless it’s RIGHT.” He knew exactly where to place the paint, how to get values right from the start, and where to keep edges soft and where to add a few hard edges sparingly.

Richard had such a beautiful range of whites, both in fabrics and sculptures that he painted and I try to recall his value range and hues when I take a stab at painting white structures. 

Steps in Spoleto was painted as a demo this month for the Tucson Pastel Society, also a “white” painting.

Richard’s work was most typically in oil, although he was well versed in watercolour and I did see a few of his pastels…every piece was a “stunner”! It was his oil work though that had the most influence.

Richard’s figure work and city or village scenes most captured my attention, as I love to paint architecture and structures in perspective. Under his influence, I worked strictly in oil; pastel is a medium I’ve studied on my own, developing my style and processes.

While I do feel I was greatly influenced by his mastery and try to “channel” him as much as possible when painting, my results can never approach Richard’s incredible artistry.

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Thanks so much, Nancie! Richard Schmid was such an amazing artist and human being and I know he has influenced many artists and continues to do so. I’m always in awe when his work pops up on my screen. I wouldn’t be without his book, Alla Prima.

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Winner at the Philadelphia Pastel Society Open Juried Show

Catherine Grygiel took the top award at the Philadelphia Pastel Society’s FIRST National Open Juried Exhibition. Congratulations to Catherine and to the Pastel Society!

You can see all the award winners here.

Juror Dawn Emerson had this to say about Grygiel’s piece:

Let me tell you — this piece is a sleeper! One could easily miss the amazingness of it if you saw just another winter scene. It is quiet, subtle, and masterfully done in both design and technique. The title perfectly reflects the immense sense of quiet and solitude. Neutral greys, subtle flecks of sky blue, and complements buried in the details. It is gorgeous. Congratulations!

And that’s it for this time!

Gail