Ken Smith Historical Art

2015 Black Friday Sale at Ken Smith Historical Art

2015-11-22T17:42:00.001-05:00

2015 Black Friday sale at Ken Smith Historical Art!

www.kensmithhistoricalart.com

Well, as I've noted for the last two years, and will note here again: I realize that I totally suck as a blogger, since I haven't posted anything since the 2013 & 2014 Black Friday Sales. But once again, hey, I've been busy!

So here's the deal:

Starting Wednesday afternoon to midnight Sunday: all prints are half off! That's right, HALF PRICE.

This includes the giclee prints Wacht am Rhein, and Green Hell, as well as two brand new giclee prints: Ha-Go Banzai and Victory in Europe!

$100 prints are on sale for $50
$185 prints are on sale for $92.50
(and so on and so on – you can do the math)

$10 shipping for your whole order (continental US), USPS Priority Mail.

For overseas shipping, send me your address, and I'll send you a price (it will be actual shipping cost; no handling fees)

All prints are shipped in archival sleeves, rolled in a rigid shipping tube.

A few details on the production of Wacht am Rhein, Green Hell, Ha-Go Banzai and Victory in Europe:

These prints (and all prints henceforth), will be produced using the "giclee" printing method. This means several things: 1) smaller editions: 125 prints 2) better color 3) heavier paper 4) higher costs 5) slower turnaround time. These giclee prints are done one-at-a-time by an expert digital printmaker. Stated turnaround time is 4-6 weeks. I can do it faster – and I will for this sale – but be aware that the prints are not sitting in my office as I type this. If you have a particular timeliness need, let me know when you order (and be aware that there's no way I can get them to you quicker than a week, and even that's pushing it). The glicee method is also used for all the Victorian Actress prints and the Civil War print At First Light.

HOW TO ORDER:

I'm not reprogramming the website for this, so just send me an email (ksmith@kensmithhistoricalart.com), and tell me what you want and the total cost, including $10 shipping (if it's international, I'll have to calculate the exact shipping price, so please get in touch first). I'll double-check your calculations, and you can pay by Paypal.

Any questions beforehand, send me an email!

Thanks and Happy Thanksgiving!
Ken

2014 Black Friday sale at Ken Smith Historical Art!

2014-11-26T11:44:00.001-05:00

2014 Black Friday sale at Ken Smith Historical Art!

www.kensmithhistoricalart.com

Okay, I realize that I totally suck as a blogger, since I haven't posted anything since the 2013 Black Friday Sale. But hey, I've been busy!

So anyway, here's the deal:

Starting Wednesday afternoon to midnight Sunday: all prints are half off! That's right, HALF PRICE.

This includes the giclee prints Wacht am Rhein and Green Hell.
$100 prints are on sale for $50
$185 prints are on sale for $92.50
(and so on and so on – you can do the math)

$10 shipping for your whole order, USPS Priority Mail.

All prints are shipped in archival sleeves, rolled in a rigid shipping tube.

A few details on the production of Wacht am Rhein and Green Hell:

Starting with these two prints (and henceforth), I'll be doing all WW2 prints using the "giclee" printing method. This means several things: 1) smaller editions: 125 prints 2) better color 3) heavier paper 4) higher costs 5) slower turnaround time. These giclee prints are done one-at-a-time by an expert digital printmaker. Stated turnaround time is 4-6 weeks. I can do it faster – and I will for this sale – but be aware that the prints are not sitting in my office as I type this. If you have a particular timeliness need, let me know when you order (and be aware that there's no way I can get them to you quicker than a week, and even that's pushing it). The glicee method is also used for all the Victorian Actress prints and the Civil War print At First Light.

HOW TO ORDER:

I'm not reprogramming the website for this, so just send me an email (ksmith@kensmithhistoricalart.com), and tell me what you want and the total cost, including $10 shipping (if it's international, I'll have to calculate the exact shipping price, so please get in touch first). I'll double-check your calculations, and you can pay by Paypal.

Any questions beforehand, send me an email!

Thanks and Happy Thanksgiving!
Ken

...and Black Friday 2013!

2013-11-25T20:00:00.005-05:00

2013 Black Friday sale at Ken Smith Historical Art!

www.kensmithhistoricalart.com

Midnight Thursday to midnight Sunday: all prints are half off! That's right, HALF PRICE.

This includes the giclee prints Wacht am Rhein and Green Hell.

$100 prints are on sale for $50
$185 prints are on sale for $92.50
(and so on and so on – you can do the math)

$10 shipping for your whole order.

A few details on the production of Wacht am Rhein and Green Hell:

Starting with these two prints (and henceforth), I'll be doing all WW2 prints using the "giclee" printing method. This means several things: 1) smaller editions: 125 prints 2) better color 3) heavier paper 4) higher costs 5) slower turnaround time. These giclee prints are done one-at-a-time by an expert digital printmaker. Stated turnaround time is 4-6 weeks. I can do it faster – and I will for this sale – but be aware that the prints are not sitting in my office as I type this. If you have a particular timeliness need, let me know when you order (and be aware that there's no way I can get them to you quicker than a week, and even that's pushing it). The glicee method is also used for all the actress prints and the Civil War print At First Light.

HOW TO ORDER:

I'm not reprogramming the website for this, so just send me an email (ksmith@kensmithhistoricalart.com), and tell me what you want and the total cost, including $10 shipping (if it's international, I'll have to calculate the exact shipping price, so please get in touch first). I'll double-check your calculations, and you can pay by Paypal.

Any questions beforehand, send me an email!

Thanks and Happy Thanksgiving!

Ken

New Work and an Updated Website

2012-11-26T10:31:00.000-05:00

At long last, Ken has officially released two new prints:
Wacht am Rhein, The Battle at Marvie and Green Hell: The Battle of Suicide Creek. Wacht am Rhein features the German Panzer Lehr division and Green Hell is the American 7th Marine. Both are offered as giclee prints.

Black Friday 2012

2012-11-22T14:28:00.000-05:00

Okay, I have to get in on the act too.

Black Friday sale at Ken Smith Historical Art!

www.kensmithhistoricalart.com

Midnight Thursday to midnight Friday: all prints are half off! That's right, half price.

This includes the brand new German print, Wacht am Rhein, and the pretty darned new Marine print, Green Hell.

$100 prints are on sale for $50

$185 prints are on sale for $92.50

(and so on and so on -- you can do the math)

$10 shipping for your whole order.

A few details on the production of the two new prints (Wacht am Rhein and Green Hell):

Starting with these two prints (and henceforth), I'll be doing all WW2 prints using the giclee printing method. This means several things: 1) smaller editions - 125 prints 2) better color 3) heavier paper 4) higher costs 5) slower turnaround time.

These giclee prints are done one-at-a-time by an expert digital printmaker in Knoxville, Tennessee. Stated turnaround time is 4-6 weeks. I can do it faster, and I will for this sale, but be aware that the prints are not sitting at my house as I type this. If you have a particular timeliness need, let me know when you order (and be aware that there's no way I can get them to you quicker than a week, and even that's pushing it). The glicee method is also used for all the actress prints and the one civil war print (At First Light).

HOW TO ORDER:

I'm not reprogramming the website for this, so you'll need to just send me an email (ksmith@kensmithhistoricalart.com), telling me what you want, and the total cost including $10 shipping (if it's international, I'll have to calculate the exact shipping price). I'll double-check your calculations, and you can pay by Paypal.

Any questions beforehand, send me an email

Thanks and Happy Thanksgiving!

Ken

"At First Light" Print Signing

2012-11-05T11:34:00.000-05:00

As per the McClung Museum Facebook page:

On Sunday, November 11, 2012 at 2pm. Dr. Earl J. Hess will give a lecture on new Civil War book, The Knoxville Campaign, and will be available to sign books after his talk.

At the same time, artist Ken Smith will be at the Museum to sign prints of his work, “At First Light” an image of the 1863 Confederate artillery position excavated on the site of newly built Sorority Village.

Dr. Earl Hess of Lincoln Memorial University is known and respected nationwide as a leading expert in Civil War history. The author of over twelve books, 23 articles and 100 book reviews, his latest work is entitled The Knoxville Campaign: Burnside and Longstreet in East Tennessee. Published by University of Tennessee Press, this extremely well organized and precisely illustrated book is a great asset to our understanding of local history. Top-notch research and writing applied to the complicated subject of East Tennessee’s under appreciated contributions and sacrifices during the Civil War, have produced an academic success and a surprisingly good read in one volume.

Scene of Conflict: Museum Opening, Reception, and Lecture

2012-10-30T13:32:00.000-05:00

Press Release

Who: Historical Artist Ken Smith and Glencoe Museum, Radford VA

What: Museum’s Gallery to Exhibit “Scene of Conflict: Paintings of World War Two, The Civil War, and the Victorian Stage by Ken Smith”

Where: Glencoe Museum, 600 Unruh Drive, Radford, VA 24143

When: November 9, 2012 through January 10, 2013

Artist’s Reception – Friday, November 9, 2012, from 6 pm to 8 pm

Artist Lecture – Tuesday, November 13, 2012 at 7:00 pm. Radford Public Library.

Contact: Scott Gardner at Glencoe – 540-731-5031 | info@glencoemuseum.org

Ken Smith – ksmith@kensmithistoricalart.com

The Scene of Conflict: a phrase that brings much to mind, and in the world of Ken Smith’s historical art, it sets the stage for both the conflict of arms and the conflict of the intellect. Smith’s paintings of military history (the French and Indian War, the Civil War, and World War Two) hang beside the greatest of the Victorian actresses, each painting depicting a drama both profound and emotional, whether it be a moment of impending battle (Green Hell) or the agony of the moment of truth in Sarah Bernhart’s Lady Macbeth (What is Done Cannot be Undone).

Lining the gallery walls of the Glencoe Museum, the public is invited to view not only the history offered by the museum, but also the history featured in Smith’s work.

“My paintings show these individuals in a very up close and personal way, always seeking to show a vision of the world in which these people lived – and sometimes died – with a portrayal that is both authentic and heroic,” said the artist.

Glencoe will host an opening reception for the exhibit on Friday, November 9 from 6 pm to 8 pm at the museum. On Tuesday, November 13, Smith will present a lecture on the process of creating historical artwork. The lecture will be held at the Radford Public Library and will begin at 7 pm. Both events are free and open to the public.

Smith currently resides in Pulaski, Virginia and is an assistant professor of graphic design at Radford University. Before this, he lived in the Knoxville area for over thirty years and is an alumni of the University of Tennessee. He also holds a MA from Syracuse University (Syracuse, New York) and an MFA from the University of Hartford (Hartford, Connecticut). He is a member of the Coast Guard Art Program and has twice won their prestigious George Grey Award of Artistic Excellence. His paintings are featured at both the East Tennessee Historical Society and the McClung Museum in Knoxville, Tennessee, as well as at Fort Loudoun State Historic Area museum in Vonore, Tennessee.

Scene of Conflict will be on exhibit from November 9, 2012 to January 10, 2013 during Glencoe’s regular hours, Tuesday to Saturday from 10 am to 4 pm and Sunday from 1 pm to 4 pm. For more information about the exhibit, the reception, or the lecture, please contact the Glencoe Museum at 540-731-5031. Signed, collector’s prints will be available for purchase. To see more of Smith’s work, please visit www.kensmithhistoricalart.com.

A New Commission - The Battle of Peleliu

2012-08-19T14:59:00.000-05:00

Ken on the path to creating a new painting on the Battle of Peleliu.

Sometimes wars have their quiet moments, hushes in the sounds of gunfire and expletives. And so it is in the reenacting world.

Ken and I found ourselves in the throes of such a moment during a recent private reenactment. We had driven five hours to the site of a WWII-based reenactment involving Japanese and American troops – all this in a most unlike spot for such a battle – Gettysburg, PA. As we drove down a dirt road, we wondered if we would time warp and if so, would we not find ourselves in the August heat of the Civil War?

Instead we did find ourselves in the pseudo-1940s, seemingly quite alone in an abandoned registration area. Ken had hoped to time our arrival toward the end of the reenactment, but we were early. We listened, expecting to hear the various shots and dramatics of those participating, but all was quiet. Ken walked down the road a way, hoping not to stumble into the middle of anything, but only found the deserted Japanese camp.

Ken gets comfortable during his latest photo shoot.

The things that one must do for their art. Finding Japanese re-enactors has been a definite challenge for Ken. In his latest historical art pursuit, his subject is the WWII Pacific Theatre Battle of Peleliu. This is why we were here, hoping to find a picturesque and authentic portrayal of the ill-fated Japanese troops.

As we waited for signs of life and organized ourselves for the photo shoot, WWII marines began to filter out of the shadows and into the registration area. Several carried large plastic containers of water. The reenactment had culminated and many seemed most enthusiastic about retuning to the 21st century.

The organizer and property owner also emerged and introduced us to the models Ken would spend the next few hours photographing. We moved our vehicle, and created a space in their camp for the photo shoot. The guys who posed were wonderful to work with and extremely patient, even in the heat.

As I monitored Ken's light situation, I looked over at a truck that had pulled up along our beaten path. A man lounged against the driver-side door and commenced to watch Ken's efforts. As my eyes focused, I realized I was looking at a civil war solider. Oddly, he was the one out of place.

Posted by L.S. King

At First Light Artist Talk

2012-05-11T12:27:00.002-05:00

On May 10, 2012, Ken Smith was the guest speaker at the John R Massey Sons of Confederate Veterans Camp #152 meeting. It was a wonderful evening in downtown Fayetteville, Tennessee (hometown of the artist). The artist wishes to thank those who attended – both members and the general public.

Ken Smith (left) is presented with a copy of a local history book, presented by the SCV Camp #152.

His presentation was based on the creation of At First Light and all that went into the final painting. This included the research, model construction (using landscape models made from board and clay, evolving into using Google Sketch-up to understand the landscape of 1863 Knoxville), traveling to find the right type of uniforms and cannon, and the actual painting of the piece. He also discussed the history of the moment he choose to depict in this Civil War-themed painting and the current changes in the actual site.

This presentation is available to other organizations, schools, and groups Please contact us at ksmith@kensmithhistoricalart.com for more information.

Morgan Hill Today (site of "At First Light")

2012-05-09T12:03:00.000-05:00

While preparing for Ken's upcoming talk in Fayetteville, Tennessee about "At First Light," we made a quick stop in Knoxville. Specifically, we wanted to see the construction progress that is occurring at the site where the first shots of the Battle of Fort Sanders were fired. This is currently what the site looks like today, featuring the new University of Tennessee sorority complex. Needless to say, it is extremely different from the muddy hill it was as seen in "At First Light."

Though we tried to get to the exact spot, our little adventure was halted by security and we were not allowed beyond what you see in the first photograph. The second is a view from the parking lot at a nearby apartment complex.

iPhoneography by L.S. King

Ken Smith Art Talk In Fayetteville, TN

2012-04-30T10:03:00.001-05:00

Press Release
Submitted by Dr. James R. Armitage, Camp Commander

The John R. Massey Camp # 152
Sons of Confederate Veterans
Fayetteville, Tennessee

SCV Camp no. 152 will meet at 7PM, on May 10 in the City Municipal Auditorium. The guest speaker will be Mr. Ken Smith, who lives and works in Southwest Virginia.

Mr. Smith is a native of Lincoln County, TN, and is an avid history buff, illustrator, artist, reenactor and living historian. Work that Mr. Smith has designed, art directed or illustrated has appeared in the Print Regional Design Annual, New York Art Director’s Club, Society of Illustrators and Society of Publication Designers annuals, Graphis, Communication Arts and Print magazine. He was formerly Design Director/Vice President at Whittle Communications, and co-founder and creative director of Media-South in Knoxville, TN. He is a member of the Society of Illustrators, the Society of Publication Designers, the American Institute of Graphic Arts, and the Coast Guard Art Program as well as the Garrison of Fort Loudoun (the premier French and Indian War living history program). Mr. Smith holds a BFA from the University of Tennessee, an MA from Syracuse University, and an MFA from the University of Hartford, and is currently Assistant Professor of Art at Radford University, where he teaches graphic design.

The program is free and open to anyone interested in Southern history. The regular business meeting will follow the program. For more information on the SCV go to scv.org.

At First Light on Exhibit

2012-02-10T09:00:00.001-05:00

This photograph was made at the University of Tennessee's McClung Museum's Civil War permanent exhibit during the summer of 2011 and features At First Light. The actual painting is almost twice the size of the reprint used in the display.

To read more about the museum's "Civil War in Knoxville" exhibit, click here to visit the McClung's web page.

The Official PR Release for At First Light

2012-02-06T09:00:00.003-05:00

It was a cold Sunday November morning in 1863 when the Gwinnett Artillery lead by Captain Tyler Peeples fired the first shot at Fort Sanders. Cannons sounded and the men from Georgia signaled the beginning of the disastrous attack on Union-held Fort Sanders. Now on that same spot, later called Morgan Hill, the University of Tennessee is busy building a new sorority complex. Much has changed since the bloody 1863 battle. Where there were just hills of mud, now interstate highways and modern structures sprout from the landscape. And yet, with the 150th Anniversary of the Civil War, those first shots on Fort Sanders are remembered and are depicted in At First Light by historical artist Ken Smith.

“It’s still hard to picture the Battle of Knoxville taking place in that denuded 1863 landscape with all the hustle and bustle of modern Knoxville covering every salient feature of the original ground,” said the artist.

During the excavation of what is believed to be the only known archaeologically confirmed Confederate battle site in Knoxville, Smith was commissioned by the University of Tennessee’s McClung Museum to paint what transpired on Morgan Hill on that infamous morning. This particular event was part of the Siege of Knoxville and ended with over 800 casualties for the Confederate Army, leading to the Confederate retreat from East Tennessee. A reproduction of the painting is currently on display at the museum’s Civil War exhibit and plans also include using the image on a historical marker at the battle site, where 60 feet of the original trench will be preserved once the complex is completed.

Using research from UT’s archeological team, Smith began recreating the moment using period maps and contemporary descriptions to recreate the landscape and conditions that Tyler Peeples and the Gwinnett Artillery faced on that morning in 1863. The artist traveled to Petersburg National Battlefield (Petersburg, VA) to view and photograph one of only two functional Napoleon cannons in the Eastern US. And he recruited accurately garbed reenactors to pose as the Georgia artillerymen.

At First Light can be seen at the McClung Museum (Knoxville, Tennessee) or on the artist’s website at www.kensmithhistoricalart.com. Limited edition prints are available for purchase. For more information, please contact Ken Smith at ksmith@kensmithhistoricalart.com.

Ken Smith Historical Art Becomes Social

2012-01-23T09:00:00.003-05:00

The Cyberworld – like dabs of paint upon an unfinished canvas – slightly abstract at first and then blending together to create a recognizable image – Ken Smith’s business as an historical artist makes for the beginning marks of a social media project. Rather than a creation made from the physical reality of brushes, the tools of this endeavor are a combination of Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr, Linked-In, a blog and website. Though the artist has been involved in several of these social media venues in the past, this is Ken Smith Historical Art’s first coordinated effort to actively engage in ongoing online content. With this, our goal is to keep those who are interested in Ken’s paintings up-to-date with his current and new projects and also to introduce new viewers to his efforts.

Due to Ken’s southern heritage, we have chosen to launch our social media ventures around his first Civil War painting effort. We are hosting a social media scavenger hunt to acquaint you with our new sites and also to unveil one of Ken’s latest painting (and limited edition prints) called “At First Light.” Originally commissioned by the McClung Museum at the University of Tennessee (Knoxville), this image depicts the opening cannon fire during the Battle of Fort Sanders on November 28, 1863 in Knoxville, Tennessee. Though the scavenger hunt will provide you with a special prize themed around this painting, for those who prefer to see the painting now, please visit www.kensmithhistoricalart.com/civilwar/at_first_light.htm.

Wondering about the nature of the prize? Here’s a clue – wallpaper. To begin the hunt, please visit our Facebook page at www.facebook.com/kensmithhistoricalart for the first clue. Other clues maybe found on the following sites:

Twitter – http://twitter.com/kshistoricalart
Tumbr – http://kensmithhistoricalart.tumblr.com
Linked-In – http://www.linkedin.com/pub/ken-smith/5/428/389)

For more information or questions, please contact ksmith@kensmithhistorical.com or leave a comment on the blog.

Completing the At First Light Social Media Scavenger Hunt

2012-01-23T08:59:00.000-05:00

If you have visited our four social media sites (http://facebook.com/kensmithhistoricalart, http://twitter.com/kshistoricalart, http://kensmithhistoricalart.tumblr.com, and http://www.linkedin.com/pub/ken-smith/5/428/389), you have found a series of clues that will provide you with the password needed to reveal your reward for indulging our fun and games.

For each clue, you should have a one word answer. Put those words together in order (no spaces, all lowercase) and you have the password. If this is problematic or you are stumped, leave us a message or comment on any of these sites and we’ll help you out.

Click here to enter your clue answers and reveal your prize!

The Face of World War II at The Art Gallery at Mish Mish

2010-10-31T13:05:00.005-05:00

For those of you who happen to be near Blacksburg, Virginia, I'll be having an exhibit of my World War 2 artwork at The Art Gallery at Mish Mish starting this Friday, Nov. 5. The opening reception is from 5-7 PM.

The show runs from Nov. 5 through Dec. 1.

Mish Mish is located at 125 North Main St., Blacksburg, VA.

Phone: 540-552-1020.

Hope to see you there.

Podcast Interview with Ken Smith

2010-10-03T10:52:00.002-05:00

A couple of weeks ago I did a fairly lengthy interview with the "Two Half Squads," a podcast about the game, Advanced Squad Leader (ASL). All of my World War 2 paintings, so far, have been covers on the magazine, ASL Journal, so the folks at Two Half Squads were interested in hearing about how these paintings came to be. If you too are interested, you can hear the podcast at:

http://www.the2halfsquads.com/2010/09/episode-41-art-of-war.html

Note that my part of the show starts at the 41-minute mark (if for some reason you don't want to listen to the whole thing), and you might also like to know that the interview is about an hour long.

And here's a link directly to the mp3:

here

Cherokee Vengeance – the Fall of Ft. Loudoun

2010-09-21T15:19:00.002-05:00

Cherokee Vengeance: Victory at Cane Creek, The last painting in a five-part series depicting the life and times of Ft. Loudoun

The Cherokee warrior lunges confidently forward, war club poised above his head, poised to strike down the Redcoat, as he frantically draws his sword..Another surprised soldier loads his flintlock, while a laundress lifts a musket from an unconscious Redcoat,trying to protect herself from the Cherokee onslaught. Chaos. The startled members of the King’s army scramble to defend themselves against the sudden assault.

This is the latest subject in historical artist Ken Smith’s series on the history of Fort Loudoun, which is on permanent loan to the Fort Loudoun Association, and is on display in the Fort Loudoun State Historic Area’s Museum and Visitor Center. A limited edition of 250 prints are available for sale to the public. Cherokee Vengeance completes the series of five paintings based on the life of Fort Loudoun.

As a part of this historic site’s 250th anniversary celebration, the Fort Loudoun Association, the park’s friends group, commissioned Smith to depict key elements of each year of the fort’s existence. Cherokee Vengeance is the last in the series and represents the final moments of the relationship between the Cherokee and the garrison of Fort Loudoun after Captain Demere, of the Independent Company of South Carolina, surrendered the fort to the natives on August 8, 1760. The morning after leaving the fort, while preparing to depart their camp at Cane Creek (near present day Belltown, Tennessee), the people of Fort Loudoun were overwhelmed in a surprise attack by the Cherokee in retaliation for other injustices previously perpetrated by the British.

“It was interesting to try to depict the mood of the Fort each year for the five years of its life, especially knowing in advance how the story was going to turn out,” Smith says about Cherokee Vengeance.

Smith, a resident of Pulaski, Virginia is an Assistant Professor of Graphic Design at Radford University in Radford, Virginia. He holds a BFA from the University of Tennessee, an MA from Syracuse University and a MFA from the University of Hartford. He is available for commissions and portraits. To see more of Smith’s work, visit www.kensmithhistoricalart.com.

For more information about Fort Loudoun State Park or to purchase prints, call Fort Loudoun State Historic Area (432-884-6217), or to see more of Smith’s work, visit www.kensmithhistoricalart.com.

For The Second Year In A Row, Ken Smith Wins Coast Guard Art Program Award

2010-09-20T12:41:00.002-05:00

A Maritime Safety and Security Team (MSST) is ready for a confrontation, and the viewer of this new painting by Ken Smith is happy to witness this action from in front of the canvas, and not from the business end of the M-4 carbine rifle.

This MSST team from St. Marys, Georgia is shown securing an area of the port as an HH-60 Jayhawk helicopter prepares to drop crew members onto a tanker to determine whether the vessel is engaged in illegal activity or otherwise poses a threat.

MSST: Sighting Down Threats recently received the Coast Guard Art Program’s (COGAP) coveted George Gray Award for Artistic Excellence during a special reception at the Salmagundi Club in New York City.

Smith was one of 28 COGAP artists whose works were juried into the U.S. Coast Guard’s permanent collection in 2010. This year, 41 paintings were admitted into the collection, with one painting receiving the George Gray award. Smith’s painting, Air Station Savannah, received the award in 2009.

“My paintings generally tend toward military subject matter, so I was naturally attracted to the MSSTs and their anti-terrorism mission,” said Smith. “In discussing their work, the team’s no-nonsense attitude really appealed to my sense of drama and of course to the Coast Guard’s motto, Semper Paratus.”

The George Gray Award is named after one of the co-founders of COGAP. Gray was an artist for more than seven decades and served as the chairman of COGAP for over 20 years. The Coast Guard Art Program uses visual arts to communicate the history and the current life of this branch of military service. The collection, which includes over 1,800 works, is shown at galleries, museums, and Coast Guard bases, as well as at other U.S. government locations both at home and abroad. To learn more about the United States Coast Guard Art Program, visit http://www.uscg.mil/community/Art_Program.asp.

MSST: Sighting Down Threats will be displayed through August 12 at the Federal Hall National Memorial in New York City as part of the Coast Guard Art Program exhibit, titled “Underway with the Coast Guard: Observations in Art.” The memorial is open Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. The memorial is closed on weekends.

Arrival of the Buffs – A New Painting by Ken Smith

2009-09-27T10:39:00.003-05:00

Vonore, Tennessee, Sept. 12, 2009. The war paint speaks loudly as three Cherokee Warriors sit waiting on the outskirts of Fort Loudoun. They watch the Provincials that have come to provide provisions for the Independent Company of South Carolina, who are garrisoned at the British fort in what would become known today as Vonore, Tennessee. The year is 1759 and this is the subject of the latest Ken Smith historical art print commemorating the 250th anniversary of the life of Fort Loudoun. A limited edition of 250 prints will be available for sale to the public, and the art will be on permanent loan to the Fort Loudoun Association, to be displayed at the Fort Loudoun State Historic Area Visitor Center..

This is the forth painting by Smith in the five-year build-up to the 250th anniversary of the fall of Fort Loudoun. The Fort Loudoun Association commissioned Smith to create historical paintings based on events of each year of the fort’s existence. The first painting was Over the Hills: Sergeant Gibbs and the Advance Party, which depicted the partnership between the Cherokee and the Redcoats in securing a site for the building of the fort. The second painting was Mud and Blood: Carolina Builds a Fort in the Overhills. A grimy crew begin the tiring process of building the structures of the fort and its protective earthworks. The third was Hard Bargain: The Cherokee Prepare for War, which depicts the British leadership of the fort supplying their allies, the Cherokee, with guns to help fight the French.

The current painting’s subject is more terse then the other three before it. In this, there is a definite division between the Cherokee and the British. Hostilities are mounting, in what will culminate with the Cherokee besieging the fort and the eventual massacre of thirty-three members of the garrison at Cane Creek after the British surrendered the fort.

“It’s interesting to depict the declining relationship between the British and their Cherokee allies. I’m looking forward to seeing how it all turns out,” says Smith about his latest painting.

Smit is the recent recipient of the U.S. Coast Guard Art Program’s George Gray Award for Artistic Excellence for his painting Air Station Savannah. In Knoxville, Smith’s Over the Hills from the Fort Loudoun series is prominently featured in the Museum of East Tennessee History’s permanent exhibit.

Arrival of the Buffs was unveiled Saturday, September 12, 2009, during Fort Loudoun’s Annual Colonial Trade Faire and will remain at the park’s Visitor Center after the Trade Faire is concluded. Limited edition prints of Arrival of the Buffs are available for purchase, as well as prints from the previous years.

For more information about Fort Loudoun’s Colonial Trade Fair or to purchase prints, call Angie King at Fort Loudoun State Historic Area (432-884-6217), or visit www.kensmithhistoricalart.com.

Ken Smith Wins Coast Guard Art Program Award

2009-09-27T10:35:00.002-05:00

Sort of a late post (but better late than never, they say)

Air Station Savannah, the oil painting pictured in the previous blog post, has won the Coast Guard Art Program’s George Gray Award for Artistic Excellence

Each year the United States Coast Guard recognizes one artist from among that year’s many submissions to the Coast Guard Art Program (COGAP) to receive the coveted George Gray Award for Artistic Excellence. This year’s recipient is Radford University professor Ken Smith for his painting, Air Station Savannah, depicting AET2 Taylor Anderson (Avionics Electrical Technician) pausing in her work aboard the HH-65 Dolphin helicopter at Coast Guard Air Station Savannah, near Savannah, Georgia.

Potential Coast Guard artists apply for acceptance into the COGAP program, and if accepted, are then allowed to submit works for possible inclusion in the Coast Guard’s Permanent Art Collection. The 2009 additions to the collection include 34 works by 19 artists. Of these, one work is selected to receive the George Gray Award for Artistic Excellence. Smith’s painting, Air Station Savannah, was granted this honor for 2009. A participant in the Coast Guard Art Program for the past two years, Smith was one of only six artists who were chosen for official Coast Guard Artist deployment in 2008, from which the painting Air Station Savannah was created.

Mary Ann Bader, coordinator of the Coast Guard Art Program says, “This year's collection was among the very best collections we've had, so the competition for the award was very pronounced. [Ken Smith’s] excellent and stunning painting captivated the jurors as well as all present that evening.”

Air Station Savannah will be included in a number of works to be displayed this fall at the Pritzker Military Library in downtown Chicago.

Adventures with the Coast Guard

2009-03-31T09:50:00.003-05:00

I am involved with the Coast Guard Art Program and here is my latest press release about it.

Press Release

United States Coast Guard Accepts Ken Smith Painting into their Permanent Collection

WHO: Ken Smith, Historical Artist

WHAT: Air Station Savannah, an oil painting by Ken Smith has a new home at the United States Coast Guard Permanent Collection

WHEN: March 2009

WHERE: Coast Guard Art Program

AET 2 Taylor Andersen stands firmly, well grounded in spite of the fact that she is standing on the roof of a blaze orange Coast Guard helicopter. She looks directly at you with an unwavering gaze – strong, confident, and empowered in her homeland security duties – and captured forever in this moment by the vision and brushstrokes of artist and illustrator, Ken Smith.

Smith, who has been a participant in the Coast Guard Art Program (COGAP) for the past two years, chose to depict the service of female Coast Guard members in this year’s painting. Smith was one of only six COGAP artists who were chosen for official Coast Guard Artist deployment in 2008 – each being tasked to travel to various USCG bases to research their subject matter. It was this assignment that took him to St, Mary’s, Georgia and on to Air Station Savannah during the summer of 2008.

“The Coast Guard can be one of the most dangerous branches of all the Services, not only dealing with homeland security tasks, but often also at odds with weather and sea. I am privileged to be able to add my voice to the throng of Americans who appreciate their dedication and commitment. ” Smith says about being a part of COGAP.

Chosen by the Excellence Committee of the Salmagundi Club, a New York City artistic and cultural center for over 130 years, Ken Smith’s painting, Air Station Savannah, is now part of the United States Coast Guard Permanent Collection. Smith will be honored with a commendation at a formal acceptance ceremony at the Salmagundi Club in New York this summer.

The Coast Guard Art Program uses visual arts to communicate the history and the current life of this branch of military service. The collection, which includes over 1,800 works, is shown at galleries, museums, and Coast Guard bases, as well as at other U.S. government locations both at home and abroad. To learn more about the United States Coast Guard Art Program, visit http://www.uscg.mil/community/Art_Program.asp.

Smith currently is an Assistant Professor of Graphic Design at Radford University in Radford, VA. He holds a BFA from the University of Tennessee, an MA from Syracuse University and a MFA from the University of Hartford. He is also available for commissions and portraits. To see more of Smith’s work, visit www.kensmithhistoricalart.com.

The 2009 Radford University Addy Award Winners

2009-03-09T18:51:00.002-05:00

Congratulations to all those Radford University students who participated in the 2009 South Western Virgina Addy Awards, sponsored by the The Advertising Federation of the Roanoke Valley.

Pictured above are award winners (from left to right) Benjamin Rush (two gold, one silver), Zachary Bush (four gold, one silver), Nathan Long (silver), Chelsea Alayna Clark (one gold, two silver).

Hard Bargain

2008-09-11T06:52:00.003-05:00

I've just released the third in the series of the Fort Loudoun Anniversary prints. Full press release below.

Hard Bargain: The Cherokee Prepare for War – A New Painting by Ken Smith

WHO: Ken Smith, Historical Artist

WHAT: Hard Bargain: The Cherokee Prepare for War, 1758, Painting to be Unveiled at Colonial Trade Fair

WHEN: September 6, 2008

WHERE: Fort Loudoun State Historic Area and www.kensmithhistoricalart.com

Vonore, Tennessee. Carefully inspecting the English gifts, Sower Hominey, the Great Conjurer of Chotee [sic], a chief of the Overhill Cherokee, weighs the pros and cons of helping the British in their war against the French. Ensign Bogges of the Independent Company of South Carolina watches for signs of acceptance, while trader Samuel Benn contemplates this depletion of his assets. British regular and Cherokee warriors stand as mute witness to this scene of war-making in March of 1758. These are the figures portrayed in Ken Smith’s latest historical painting commemorating the 250th anniversary of the life of Fort Loudoun. A limited edition of 250 prints will be available for sale to the public, and the art will be on permanent loan to the Fort Loudoun Association, to be displayed at the Fort Loudoun State Historic Area Visitor Center..

This is the third painting by Smith in the five-year build-up to the 250th anniversary of the fall of Fort Loudoun. The Fort Loudoun Association commissioned Smith to create historical paintings based on events of each year of the fort’s existence. The first painting was Over the Hills: Sergeant Gibbs and the Advance Party, which depicted the partnership between the Cherokee and the Redcoats in securing a site for the building of the fort. The second painting was Mud and Blood: Carolina Builds a Fort in the Overhills. A grimy crew began the tiring process of building the structures of the fort and its protective earthworks.

The third painting, though still showing the camaraderie between the Cherokee and British, beings to foreshadow the darker history of the fort. An ominous cloud looms above the gathering and there is a subtle divide between the sides - the Cherokee to one side and the British to the other. A dissension between the factions will continue to present itself in next year’s artwork, and will culminate dramatically in the fifth and final painting of the series, the massacre at Cane Creek.

“A Hard Bargain shows the ambivalent attitude between the Cherokee and the British. The Cherokee warrior is surely driving a hard bargain, but he’s also dealing with the inevitable results of the Cherokee people’s growing dependence on the English trade goods,” the artist says about his latest painting.

Smith’s painting, Over the Hills, may also look familiar to those who have not yet visited historic Fort Loudoun, as it is prominently featured in the new Museum of East Tennessee History’s permanent exhibit. Also included in the exhibit is another Ken Smith painting of the Fort Loudoun, which is not included in the fort's commemoration series.

Hard Bargain was unveiled Saturday, September 6, 2008, during Fort Loudoun’s Annual Colonial Trade Faire and will remain at the park’s Visitor Center after the Trade Faire is concluded. Limited edition prints of Hard Bargain are also available for purchase at this time, as well as prints from the previous years.

For more information about Fort Loudoun’s Colonial Trade Fair or to purchase prints, call Angie King at Fort Loudoun State Historic Area (432-884-6217), or to see more of Smith’s work, visit www.kensmithhistoricalart.com.

N*tranced to Host An Artist Reception for Ken Smith’s Newest Art Series - The Victorian Actress

2008-08-18T11:29:00.004-05:00

WHO: N*tranced Hypnosis and Guided Meditation and Ken Smith, Historical Artist

WHAT: N*tranced to Host An Artist Reception for Ken Smith’s Newest Art Series - The Victorian Actress

WHEN: August 29, 2008 from 5 pm to 9 pm

WHERE: N*tranced Hypnosis and Guided Meditation

Maryville, Tennessee. Stepping into the office of hypnotist L.S. King, one sees a space that is comfortable, non-sterile, and artistic. On one wall, a dark haired Sarah Bernhardt laments her passions as Lady MacBeth, as does a reposed Helena Modjeska as Marguerite Gautier from Camille. Lillie Langtry lounges mischievously as Rosalind from As You Like It, while Maud Adams has all the confidence of Peter Pan. Ellen Terry’s Ophelia majestically deals with her Hamlet madness. Mary Anderson chooses to go back on her pedestal as Galatea from Pygmalion and Galatea. These six actresses, as painted by historical artist Ken Smith, have found temporary domicile at N*tranced where they await their adoring public.

On Friday, August 29, 2008, from 5 pm to 9 pm, the public is invited to the unveiling and public showing of this latest series by Ken Smith. The original oil paintings will be displayed and limited edition giclee prints will be available for purchase.

“We are very excited to be able to host this reception for Ken Smith and his new series of paintings. Though N*tranced is a business office, we strive to create a true gallery experience in Maryville, and Mr. Smith’s work is a fine example of the talent located in the heart of East Tennessee,” says L.S. King, owner of N*tranced.

Smith, whose art work for the Fort Loudoun State Historic Area was recently featured in Tennessee Conservationist magazine, is a good fit for the hypnotic space. When beginning the Fort Loudoun project, Smith used hypnosis (from N*tranced) to help visualize the first painting in that series (which can be seen at the park visitor center in a gallery area dedicated to his original artwork). Ms. King wished to honor the creative process by premiering this new series of Victorian Actresses at her office in Maryville.

N*tranced Hypnosis and Guided Meditation is located at 305 College Street in downtown Maryville, Tennessee. For more information or directions, please contact L.S. King at 865-406-1135 or visit www.n-tranced.com. To learn more about the art work of Ken Smith, visit www.kensmithhistoricalart.com.