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Richard Oversmith

Richard received formal training in Fine Art and Illustration at Kendall College of Art and Design in Grand Rapids, Michigan. While at Kendall he was invited to study at the Royal College of Art in London, England. There he gained experience in plein air painting and found direction in his work as an oil painter. He graduated from Kendall College with a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in 1995 and moved back to his home state of North Carolina to pursue his dream of becoming a professional artist.

The natural beauty of Western North Carolina has proven to offer infinite inspiration for Richard's impressionistic landscapes. From rolling mountains to abundant waterfalls, the majestic Biltmore Estate to a simple farm scene, this region evokes the artist’s muse. Richard finds inspiration not only at home but in his many travels. He has painted all over the USA and has taken several trips overseas to France and Italy. Whether at home or abroad, Richard surrounds himself in the elements of the scene while painting, in true "en plein air" fashion. In the studio, his sense of vision and mood guide him to produce still life’s ranging from the classic to the imaginative.

Richard's purpose in painting is to provoke the viewer to interact with his pieces. His paintings are his voice, and stroke by stroke, he composes a whole that relates his vision. Richard works in oil on linen, a medium compatible with the passion he puts into his creation. He strives to achieve a mood in every painting through the use of such visual stimuli as color, edges, value and drawing. He has derived his style from the lifelong study of past masters, the influence of contemporary painters he admires, and elements that have evolved from deep within himself. He allows the setting to speak to him, creating only as many brushstrokes as are needed for the viewer's eyes to understand and connect.

Education
- 1994 Summer Semester at the Royal College of Art; London, England
- 1995 BFA in Illustration from Kendall College of Art and Design; Grand Rapids, MI
- 2001 Week-long workshop with T. Allen Lawson at Scottsdale Artists' School; Scottsdale, AZ

Memberships
- 1999 - present Active member of Oil Painters Of America
- 2007 - present Member of Plein Air Painters of the Southeast
- 2011 - present Signature Member of the American Impressionist Society 

Awards
- 1990 One year Merit Scholarship, Kendall College of Art and Design
- 1993 2nd Place in CMYK Magazine Digital Image Competition 
- 2000 Shirl Smithson Scholarship (through OPA) to study with T. Allen Lawson
- 2004 Judged signature member of Western North Carolina Pein Air Painters 
- 2008 1st Place at the Southern Light Plein Air Paint-out 
- 2009 People’s Choice Award,  Banner Elk Greenway "Paint Out" Event
- 2010 3rd Place Cashiers Plein Air competition
- 2010 Best Marine Painting, 6th Annual Plein Air Easton Competition
- 2011 1st place at the Toe River Art Councils Annual Paint Out Competition
- 2011 1st Place at the Battle of the Brush Competition; Old Fort, NC
- 2012 Honorable Mention at Carmel Arts Festival; Carmel, CA
- 2012 Honorable Mention at Cashiers Plein Air Competition
- 2013 3rd Place;  Cumberland Society Juried Exhibition; Nashville, Tennessee
- 2014 Artist Choice Award in Bath County Plein Air Festival; Warm Springs, Virginia
- 2015 The Matisse Award (Second Place) in the Olmsted Plein Air Paint-out; Atlanta, Georgia
- 2017 2nd place Award in the Bold Brush Competition
- 2018 Master Class Finalist in the Art Muse Contest
- 2019 Blue Ridge Oils Award of Distinction