ABOUT THE ARTIST
Brian David Smith's art explores themes of memory, process, and the suggestion of place. He has been a professional artist for over thirty years and his work can be found in numerous corporate and private collections throughout the USA.
Smith considers the act of painting to be a vital experience and creates from an intuitive base. Bold shapes and colors dominate the compositional schemes of his art. By utilizing responses to nature and his appreciation for the history of painting, Smith develops a semblance of unity and personal logic in every piece to evoke a dream-like world that is both conspicuous and abstract.
The relationships between the unique and colorful forms sets the emotional tone for each painting while the inherently sensuous qualities of paint create an array of arresting optical effects.
Education
The University of Chicago, M.F.A.
AWARDS: University Tuition Award 1987 - 1989, Boettcher Academic Scholarship 1989
Boston University, B.F.A.
AWARD: Ford Foundation Scholarship 1980 – 1984
Gallery Representation
Selected Collections
Wells Fargo Advisors, St. Louis, MO
Macy’s Department Stores - St. Louis, MO, Columbia, MO, Independence, MO, Franklin, TN, and Houston, TX
Emerson Electric, St. Louis, MO
Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO
Washington University School of Law, St. Louis, MO
Herzog and Crebs LLC, St. Louis, MO
Polsinelli, St. Louis, MO, Kansas City, MO, Washington D.C., Nashville, TN and Dallas, TX
Husch, Blackwell, Denver, CO
Marketing Lab, Minneapolis, MN
General Growth Properties/Plaza Frontenac, Frontenac, MO
Southwestern Illinois College, Belleville, IL
Numerous Private Collections
Selected One Person Exhibitions
2022
Saint Charles Community College, Brian D. Smith: Works from a Sabbatical, St. Peters, MO
2018
Duane Reed Gallery, Brian D. Smith: New Work, St. Louis, MO
2015
Duane Reed Gallery, Brian D. Smith: New Paintings, St. Louis, MO
Schmidt Art Center, Southwestern Illinois College, Brian D. Smith: Passage and Occurrence, Belleville, IL
2014
McKendree University Gallery of Art, Brian D. Smith: Abstract Painting, Lebanon, IL
2013
SIBA Gallery, Brian D. Smith: Abstract Paintings, 2005 – 2011, St. Louis, MO
Saint Charles Community College, Brian D. Smith: Works From a Sabbatical, St. Peters, MO
2012
Duane Reed Gallery, Brian D. Smith: Presence and Recollection, St. Louis, MO
Tinnin Art Center, Three Rivers College, Brian D. Smith: Pathways Through Color, Poplar Bluff, MO
2009
River Campus Art Gallery, Southeast Missouri State University, Building Color: Brian D. Smith, Abstract Paintings,
Cape Girardeau, MO
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
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
1993
Artemisia Gallery, Brian Smith: Landscape Paintings, Chicago, IL
William Shearburn Fine Art, Brian Smith: New Landscape Paintings, St. Louis, MO
Selected Group Exhibitions
2023
Duane Reed Gallery, Small Works Invitational 2023, St. Louis, MO
2022
Duane Reed Gallery, Small Works Invitational, St. Louis, MO
2020
The Last Hotel, St. Louis, MO
2015
Regional Arts Commission of St. Louis, The Building, St. Louis, MO
2014
PS Gallery, Late Winter Exhibit, Columbia, MO
2012
St. Louis Artists Guild, Lay of The Land, Juror: Jack Brumbaugh, St. Louis, MO
2011
Foundry Art Centre, My Shadow and Me 2011, St. Charles, MO
Art St. Louis, XXVII: The Exhibition, Juror: Andrew Stein Raftery, St. Louis, MO
Perlow-Stevens Gallery, Summer Exhibit, Columbia, MO
2009
Boston Center For the Arts, Drawings That Work, Juror: Andrew Stein Raftery, Boston, MA
Davis Art Gallery, Stephens College, Paintings, Prints and Prophets, Brian D. Smith
And Michael Beusking, Columbia, MO
The Duane Reed Gallery, Home Grown, St. Louis, MO
Regional Arts Commission of St. Louis, The Holga Polka, Invitational, St. Louis, MO
Art St. Louis, XXV: The Exhibition, Juror: Sheryl Conkelton, St. Louis, MO
2008
Art St. Louis, XXIV: The Exhibition, Juror: Mark Masuoka (Curator, Bemis Center for Contemporary Art), St. Louis, MO
Foundry Art Centre, Painting, The National Competition, St. Charles, MO
2006
Contemporary Art Museum Saint Louis, Flat Files, St. Louis, MO
2003
The Quincy Arts Center, 53rd Annual Quad-State Juried Exhibition, Quincy, IL
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, and 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, XVI: The Exhibition, Juror: Doug Dreishpoon
(Curator, The Albright Knox Gallery) St. Louis, MO *Award of Excellence Recipient
Des Lee Gallery, Washington University, 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, 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
1997
Exhibit ‘97, The National Oil and Acrylic Painters Society, Juried Show, Osage Beach, 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, 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 Exhibit, Osage Beach, MO
1993
Marysville Masterpiece Art Competition, Juror: Tree Stokes, Marysville, KS *Merit Award Recipient
Second Story Gallery, Earth, Water, Sky, National Juried Exhibit, Seattle, WA
Art St. Louis, Honor Awards Exhibition, St. Louis, MO
1992
Alabama State University, Urban and Rural Landscapes, Five-Person Invitational Exhibit Montgomery, AL
Art St. Louis - VIII: The Exhibition, Juror: Eleanor Heartney, St. Louis, MO *Honor Award Recipient
1989
Gallery 1935, Constructive Anxiety (Invitational), Chicago, IL
Selected Bibliography
2014
Aarik Danielsen, "Art Rattles, Hums, Pops and Sings at PS Gallery Exhibit", Columbia Daily Tribune, February 16
2011
Bailey Ruetzel, "Shades of Summer Abound at New PS: Gallery Show", Columbia Daily Tribune, July 17
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
2001
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, “Art St. Louis XV: The Exhibition” St. Louis Post Dispatch, December 5
1999
Jeff Daniel, “IN/FORM 6, The Exhibition” St. Louis Post Dispatch, November 12
1997
Jeff Daniel, “Revitalizing The Abstract,” St. Louis Post Dispatch, June 5
John Wright, “Out of The Ordinary,” The Riverfront Times, June 11
1994
Carol Ferring Shepley, “Brian Smith: Clumps and Other Forms,” St. Louis Post Dispatch February 17
1992
Robert Duffy, “Shape Defines Brian Smith’s Bold Art,” St. Louis Post Dispatch, October 21
Teaching Experience
1998 – Present
Full Professor of Visual Art, Department Chair & Fine Arts Gallery Director
St. Charles Community College, St. Peters, MO
Guest Artist and Lecturer
2022
St. Louis Camera Club
2020
Webster University, St. Louis, MO
2018
The University of Missouri-St. Louis, St. Louis, MO
2017
Lewis and Clark Community College, Godfrey, IL
2013
Rhode Island School of Design, Providence, RI
2012
Southern Illinois University at Edwardsville
Three Rivers College, Poplar Bluff, MO
2011
Meramec Community College, St. Louis, MO
2009
Southeast Missouri State University, Cape Girardeau, MO
2007
Nicholls State University, Thibodaux, LA
2006
Webster University, St. Louis, MO
Fontbonne University, St. Louis, MO
2002
Florissant Valley Community College, St. Louis, MO
2001
Southern Illinois University at Carbondale
Southern Illinois University at Edwardsville
1989
Ball State University, Muncie IN
Miscellaneous
Residencies
2019
Open Wabi, Fredericktown, OH
2013
Vermont Studio Center, Johnson, VT
Artist Grant Recipient
Exhibition Juror
2023
Visions of Form and Space, The St. Louis Artists Guild, St. Louis, MO
2020
Brilliant Color II, Framations Gallery, St. Charles, MO
2018
Sababa: Jewish Arts and Cultural Festival, St. Louis, MO
Honor Awards 2018 - Art Saint Louis Gallery, St. Louis, MO
2017
The Historic Shaw Art Fair, St. Louis, MO
2011
Those Who Dream by Night, Framations Gallery, St. Charles, MO
2009
Art Feast, Chesterfield Arts, St. Louis, MO
2008
Raintree Arts Council, 34th Annual Exhibit, Clarksville, MO
Art Dimensions: Art Wars Live Art Competition, St. Louis, MO
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
Freelance Art Critic
1998 - 2002
St. Louis Post-Dispatch
1992 - 1998
Art St. Louis
Membership
College Art Association
Regional Arts Commission of St. Louis – Citizen Review Panel
FATE – Foundations in Art, Theory and Education
Art St. Louis – Program Committee