Richard Smith b.1955

Pieces of Eight (pink square)

1977

In his studio in his Gamekeepers cottage on a sprawling Hertfordshire estate, Richard Smith works undisturbed except for the occasional call of a pheasant. Whilst he daydreams of stalking deer and salmon fishing in the Scottish Highlands, his hands and eyes are busy at work on his latest masterpiece. From his 40 years as a successful painter of wildlife, painting for galleries such as Tyron gallery, London, Gladwell and Pattersons, London, Frost and Reed, London and Everard Reed Gallery, Johannesburg, coupled with his life surrounded by, and working with, game birds, it seemed a natural progression, with the support of Callaghan’s, to translate his passion and talent to the medium of bronze. From the elusive Snipe to the tentative Hare, the inquisitive Otter Pup to the majestic Macaw, his portfolio leaves no doubt as to the understanding of his subjects. From the beginning, when the delicate Robin perched upon a terracotta pot was born of his hands, Richards work has wowed wildlife enthusiasts and sportsmen alike. His bronze sculptures have been exhibited at the LAPADA Art & Antiques Fair, the Olympia Art & Antiques Fair and across the State of Florida at the Naples and West Palm Beach Shows, and with his incredible attention to detail, Richard has breathed fresh, Hertfordshire, air into the medium winning him worldwide acclaim In 2013 Richard was invited to exhibit his Pintail Duck at the Society of Wildlife Artists, previously unassuming of his sculpting prowess, this accolade spurred him to create many further pieces in every shape and size and for every budget culminating in Richard being invited by the CLA to produce a perpetual trophy to present to the Best Shot of the Year at the annual game fair. His wish to keep the pieces in small editions and to personally oversee the sympathetic patination of every piece has been adhered to, as he remains as passionate about his work since his first exhibition in 1978.