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Murray Smith


A simple still life and a sunlit winter scene. What do they have in common? They are both illuminated by the light effect, the prismatic flow of light. The action of light on the subject. Frank Vincent DuMond, a great teacher and noted painter who developed the prismatic palette, influenced many prominent American artists. DuMond was quoted as saying, “Silently glowing over this whole landscape is a rainbow. You must learn to see it. It is there always and if you can get hold of that, you have something worth going after.” Master painter, John Philip Osborne has continued his theories and preserved DuMond’s historical legacy in his teachings. Murray studied with Osborne for 14 years. His use of this unique palette and it’s principles of light can be seen in his convincing still lifes and landscapes.

Mr. Smith is a graduate of The High School of Art & Design and attended both The Art Student’s League and The School of Visual Arts.

Mr. Smith has won several open juried awards including The Visari Classic Oil Award for still life 2017 Ridgewood Open Juried Show, The Betty Kaytes Award for Best Floral The 34th Annual Ridgewood Art Institute Regional Open Juried Show 2014, Best Floral in 2009, 2007, 2006, he captured the top prize for still life with the Jane Peterson Still Life Award from The Hudson Valley Art Association, The Salmagundi Club Award from the 2005 Regional Open Juried Show in Ridgewood New Jersey and his 1st prize landscape graced the cover of The Warwick Valley phone book in 1999.

He won the distinguished Art Director’s Gold Medal for the poster, I Want Out which has been in London’s Victoria & Albert museum’s poster and print colletion for the past 30 years. An award winning art director, Murray has enjoyed a distinguished career in advertising for more than 25 years. He’s most proud of the 12 years spent as a designer in an entertainment advertising company he helped form. Among his many achievements, he is credited with creating campaigns and posters for more than 200 films including “Star Wars”, “Close Encounters of The Third Kind”, Taxi Driver”, “Apocalypse Now’, Superman” and “All The Persident’s Men”.

He is currently an instructor at The Ridgewood Art Institute in Ridgewood New Jersey.