William Arthur Smith
Encyclopedia
William Arthur Smith is an American artist.
n. He studied at the Theodore Keane School of Art in Toledo from 1932 to 1936 and at the University of Toledo
from 1936 to 1937, receiving an honorary master of arts degree in 1954. He married Mary France Nixon in 1939, with whom he had one son, Richard Keane. Smith's second marriage in 1949 to Ferol Yvonne Stratton produced two girls, Kim and Kathlin Alexandra.
in 1937 and established his first studio there. He was an instructor at the Grand Central School of Art
(1942–43) before joining the Office of Strategic Services
in China in 1944 and 1945. He lectured abroad at the Academy of Fine Arts, Athens (1954); the University of Santo Tomas, Manila (1955); and the Academy of Fine Arts, Warsaw (1958). In 1954 he was an official delegate to the International Association of Plastic Arts in Venice, and in 1958 he became a member and official delegate to the Soviet Union under a cultural exchange agreement.
, New York, the National Portrait Gallery
, Washington, D.C.
, the Library of Congress
, Washington, D.C.
, the James A. Michener Art Museum
in Doylestown, Pennsylvania, and was the subject of solo exhibitions at the Toledo Museum of Art
(1942 and 1952), at Bucknell University
(1952) and in foreign cities in the 1960s and 1970s. He executed an historical mural for the State of Maryland in 1968; illustrated United States postage stamps on historical subjects; authored a book about the sculptor Gerd Utescher; and produced illustrations for American magazines. From 1968 to 1973 he served a vice president on the board of director's of Pearl Buck's Welcome House.
, he served as secretary in 1954-55 and as a member of council from 1953 to 1956, and he received the National Academy of Design watercolor award in 1949 and 1951. For the American Watercolor Society
he acted as trustee in 1949, president in 1956-57, and honorary president in 1957, and received the Silver Medal in 1948, 1952, and 1973; the Stuart Watercolor Prize in 1954; the Gold Medal in 1957 and 1965; and the Bronze Medal in 1972. he was also a member of the California Watercolor Society, Audubon Artists, Philadelphia Watercolor Club, National Society of Mural Painters, and Dutch Treat Club.
Early life
Smith was born in Toledo, OhioToledo, Ohio
Toledo is the fourth most populous city in the U.S. state of Ohio and is the county seat of Lucas County. Toledo is in northwest Ohio, on the western end of Lake Erie, and borders the State of Michigan...
n. He studied at the Theodore Keane School of Art in Toledo from 1932 to 1936 and at the University of Toledo
University of Toledo
The University of Toledo is a public university in Toledo, Ohio, United States. The Carnegie Foundation classified the university as "Doctoral/Research Extensive."-National recognition:...
from 1936 to 1937, receiving an honorary master of arts degree in 1954. He married Mary France Nixon in 1939, with whom he had one son, Richard Keane. Smith's second marriage in 1949 to Ferol Yvonne Stratton produced two girls, Kim and Kathlin Alexandra.
Career
After working a year for newspapers, Smith moved to New York CityNew York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
in 1937 and established his first studio there. He was an instructor at the Grand Central School of Art
Grand Central School of Art
The Grand Central School of Art was an American art school in New York City, founded in 1923 by the painters Edmund Greacen, Walter Leighton Clark and John Singer Sargent. The school was established and run by the Grand Central Art Galleries, an artists' cooperative founded by Sargent, Greacen,...
(1942–43) before joining the Office of Strategic Services
Office of Strategic Services
The Office of Strategic Services was a United States intelligence agency formed during World War II. It was the wartime intelligence agency, and it was a predecessor of the Central Intelligence Agency...
in China in 1944 and 1945. He lectured abroad at the Academy of Fine Arts, Athens (1954); the University of Santo Tomas, Manila (1955); and the Academy of Fine Arts, Warsaw (1958). In 1954 he was an official delegate to the International Association of Plastic Arts in Venice, and in 1958 he became a member and official delegate to the Soviet Union under a cultural exchange agreement.
Work and exhibitions
Smith's work is represented in the Metropolitan Museum of ArtMetropolitan Museum of Art
The Metropolitan Museum of Art is a renowned art museum in New York City. Its permanent collection contains more than two million works, divided into nineteen curatorial departments. The main building, located on the eastern edge of Central Park along Manhattan's Museum Mile, is one of the...
, New York, the National Portrait Gallery
National Portrait Gallery (United States)
The National Portrait Gallery is an art gallery in Washington, D.C., administered by the Smithsonian Institution. Its collections focus on images of famous individual Americans.-Building:...
, Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
, the Library of Congress
Library of Congress
The Library of Congress is the research library of the United States Congress, de facto national library of the United States, and the oldest federal cultural institution in the United States. Located in three buildings in Washington, D.C., it is the largest library in the world by shelf space and...
, Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
, the James A. Michener Art Museum
James A. Michener Art Museum
The James A. Michener Art Museum is a private, non-profit museum in Doylestown, Bucks County, Pennsylvania founded in 1988 and named for the Pulitzer Prize–winning writer James A. Michener, a Doylestown resident...
in Doylestown, Pennsylvania, and was the subject of solo exhibitions at the Toledo Museum of Art
Toledo Museum of Art
The Toledo Museum of Art is an internationally known art museum located in the Old West End neighborhood of Toledo, Ohio, United States. The museum was founded by Toledo glassmaker Edward Drummond Libbey in 1901, and moved to its present location, a Greek revival building designed by Edward B....
(1942 and 1952), at Bucknell University
Bucknell University
Bucknell University is a private liberal arts university located alongside the West Branch Susquehanna River in the rolling countryside of Central Pennsylvania in the town of Lewisburg, 30 miles southeast of Williamsport and 60 miles north of Harrisburg. The university consists of the College of...
(1952) and in foreign cities in the 1960s and 1970s. He executed an historical mural for the State of Maryland in 1968; illustrated United States postage stamps on historical subjects; authored a book about the sculptor Gerd Utescher; and produced illustrations for American magazines. From 1968 to 1973 he served a vice president on the board of director's of Pearl Buck's Welcome House.
Awards and recognitions
Smith was the recipient of the Adolf and Clara Obrig Prize for oil painting (1953); American Artists Group Prize for lithography at the Society of American Graphic Artists (1954), Knobloch Prize (1956), Winslow Homer Memorial Prize (1962), American Patriots' Medal (1974), and Postal Commemorative Society Prize (1974). He became a Dolphin Fellow in 1975. Smith served in many positions as a member of the International Association of Art, including U.S. delegate in 1963, 1966, 1969, and 1973; member of the executive committee from 1963 to 1969, president of the executive committee from 1973 to 1976, and honorary president of the same in 1977. He was president of the U.S. committee from 1970 to 1977, for which he was elected honorary president in 1977. As a member of the National Academy of DesignNational Academy of Design
The National Academy Museum and School of Fine Arts, founded in New York City as the National Academy of Design – known simply as the "National Academy" – is an honorary association of American artists founded in 1825 by Samuel F. B. Morse, Asher B. Durand, Thomas Cole, Martin E...
, he served as secretary in 1954-55 and as a member of council from 1953 to 1956, and he received the National Academy of Design watercolor award in 1949 and 1951. For the American Watercolor Society
American Watercolor Society
The American Watercolor Society is a nonprofit membership organization devoted to the advancement of watercolor painting in the United States. It was founded in 1866 by eleven painters and, originally, was known as the American Society of Painters in Water Colors...
he acted as trustee in 1949, president in 1956-57, and honorary president in 1957, and received the Silver Medal in 1948, 1952, and 1973; the Stuart Watercolor Prize in 1954; the Gold Medal in 1957 and 1965; and the Bronze Medal in 1972. he was also a member of the California Watercolor Society, Audubon Artists, Philadelphia Watercolor Club, National Society of Mural Painters, and Dutch Treat Club.