Departments



Articles

Less

Arts and Entertainment: Revealing Hidden Beauty with Wood Turner Don Duden
August 13th, 2004

Arts and Entertainment: "Twelve Artists" Celebration and Exhibit
August 1st, 2004

Arts and Entertainment: Satire or Documentary?
July 27th, 2004

Arts and Entertainment: Invitation to the World of Artist Mike Segal
July 15th, 2004

Arts and Entertainment: The Bold Imagery of Artist Willie Smith
July 1st, 2004

Arts and Entertainment: From Tree to Classic Chair - the Craftsmanship of H. F. Wells
June 15th, 2004

Arts and Entertainment: New Inspirations - Gernhardt Raku Pottery Exhibit
June 5th, 2004

Arts and Entertainment: Illuminating Life with Brush and Pen - the Artistry of Peggy Herrick
May 27th, 2004

Arts and Entertainment: Capturing Joy - the Art of Joan Morgan
May 15th, 2004

Arts and Entertainment: "Downtown Cedar Key" Exhibit Opens at Arts Center
May 2nd, 2004

Arts and Entertainment: Island Hotel Hosts Art Exhibit
May 2nd, 2004

Arts and Entertainment: Multi-artist Exhibit Opens at Arts Center Gallery
April 4th, 2004

Arts and Entertainment: Double Your Pleasure at Arts Center Exhibit
March 7th, 2004

Arts and Entertainment: Enchanted Worlds - the Art of Joyce Patti
March 2nd, 2004

Arts and Entertainment: Thinking in Three Dimensions - the Art of Chick Schwartz
February 22nd, 2004

More

The Bold Imagery of Artist Willie Smith

The Bold Imagery of Artist Willie Smith

Maureen Landress

Remember as a child how you'd lie back on a patch of soft summer grass and watch the clouds pass by over head? In their billowing, windswept countenances one could see the most amazing things. Each child saw something different; here a rabbit, there a knight on horseback, and over there a soaring eagle. Local artist Willie Smith has managed to capture that fleeting imagery in the abstract canvases that he paints.

art


The uniqueness of each painting makes it difficult to describe Willie's work with mere words on a page. They must be experienced one-on-one. Each canvas is a one-of-a-kind impression capturing light, shadow, texture and imagination. The layered paint seems deceptively random at first glance; but look again and you will see rich bold strokes give way to more subtle hints of color. It is the expert layering of those colors that give the work its depth and meaning. They draw the eye and cause one to linger in deliberation of the thought behind the creation. Each viewer walks away with their own interpretation of what they have seen, just like those cloud images of childhood.

art


A graduate of York College in Pennsylvania, Willie spent a number of years running his own graphic design firm. The company was very successful, but he dreamed of one day concentrating on his art, and not limiting his creativity to the needs of the job.

art


Willie ended up in Cedar Key like lots of others do, by mere chance. A friend had asked him to lay down some blues tracks (he is an accomplished guitarist) at his home studio here, so Willie came to Cedar Key and fell in love with it's beauty, slow pace and friendly people. Every visit it was harder and harder to leave, so one day he just didn't.

art


Willie is a member of the 12artists@cedarkey group, and his work is currently on display as part of their exhibit at the Island Hotel on 2nd Street in Cedar Key.

Click for printer friendly version

Email this article to a friend

 

 

© 2013
Cedar Key News

cedarkeynews@gmail.com