Painting has occupied some of the greatest minds in history, so why not yours and mine, too?
b. 1934 d. 2021
Site Affiliation: Richard Schmid Foundation
American artist and author Richard Schmid is often regarded as one of the world’s most influential artists of the last century. He attended the renowned American Academy of Art in Chicago, where he was mentored by William H. Mosby, becoming part of a teaching lineage tracing back to Monet, Degas, Zorn, Sargent, and Sorolla. He received every major American art award, along with numerous lifetime achievement honors, including the prestigious John Singer Sargent Medal, presented by Richard Ormond, John Singer Sargent’s grand-nephew.
His exceptional expertise in alla prima painting directly from life inspired a decade-long effort to document and share his profound knowledge, culminating in his best-selling book, Alla Prima: Everything I Know About Painting, now globally recognized as a cornerstone of art instruction.
Richard’s diligent work to preserve the knowledge and skills of traditional painting changed the lives of countless artists worldwide. He firmly believed that “Art Has the Power to Do Good” and spent his lifetime spreading joy, inspiration, and beauty through art.
Primary Medium: Oil, Watercolor, Charcoal, Monochrome, and Conté
Primary Stylistic Term: Representational, Grand Manner, and Impressionism
Fun Fact: Richard Schmid won The Arts for the Parks $100,000 national award for his oil painting, Mountain Stream- Rocky Mountain National Park in 1987. The prestigious award was presented to him by former Vice-President George H.W. Bush.
Recommended Publications: Alla Prima II Everything I Know About Painting and More by Richard Schmid (1998); My Still Life Art by Richard Schmid (2019); Richard Schmid: A Legacy of Excellence with paintings by Richard Schmid and Nancy Guzik, by Kristen Thies (2026)