Paul McDonald Smith OAM, FVAS, FRSA (Lon)
Born Melbourne 1956, Paul started painting in his early teens primarily influenced by the work of renowned Australian artist Sir William Dargie C.B.E. who was to become his friend and mentor. Since then Paul has made a 45 year full-time a career of painting in the tradition of tonal impressionism working mostly in oil.
Educated at Scotch College, Paul studied Fine Art at RMIT and was awarded the 1986 Camberwell Travel Scholarship for European Study. He undertook private study in academic and tonal painting under several leading artists 1973-79, and shared a studio in Russell Street Melbourne with artist Donald Cameron concentrating on still-life and portrait painting for several years in the 1970s. Paul has travelled widely studying and painting in Europe on various occasions.
He has exhibited since 1974 and has held 6 major solo exhibitions. In addition to his own painting Paul has conducted adult painting classes and workshops since 1977 and has judged countless art competitions throughout 5 States of Australia since 1982.
He founded the Balwyn Oil Painting Group in 1978 and Moonee Valley Painting Group in 1981. Both groups continue today with enthusiastic members and wait-lists and he maintains a strong following of painters, students and collectors.
Paul served 11 years as Chairman of the Judging and Advisory Panel of the A.M.E. Bale Scholarship and Art Awards (2003- 2014). The $50,000 scholarship is Australia’s richest award for traditional painting.
He was Chairman of the Judging Panel of the ESK Awards in Launceston 2019, Chairman of the TASART Judging Panel, Burnie, Tasmania in 2010 & 2016, Victor Harbor Art exhibition, South Australia in 2008. He was Chairman of the Herald Sun Camberwell Rotary Art Exhibition Judging Panel 2002, after sitting on that panel in 2001 with UK portraitist Richard Stone as Chair.
Paul has also held various judging appointments for the Royal Art Society of NSW in Sydney, including their annual Medal of Distinction Award on three occasions since 1999, amongst many others.
Well known for his colourful oil paintings of flowers and still-life, Paul's work includes landscape, portrait and figure painting and is painted directly from life. He is frequently invited to lecture and demonstrate traditional tonal painting techniques to art societies and to conduct interstate workshops.
His work has received well over 100 awards including the Norwich Landscape Award 1992, The Heidelberg Prize 1994, Brighton City Council Acquisitive Award 1994, RSPCA Award 1995, Wimmera Acquisitive Art Prize 1996, Norman Kaye Memorial Medallion 1998 and 1999, Mount Waverley Major Oil Painting Award 1999, Bright Acquisitive Art Award 1999 and 2006, VAS Artist of the Year Award 2001, Alexandra Acquisitive Award 2002 along with many others.
His work can be found in Public Regional collections including: Mildura Regional Art Gallery, Wangaratta Art Gallery, Bright Art Gallery, Maroondah City Council Art Collection, Moreland City Art Collection, Balranald Shire Gallery NSW, Shire of Murrindindi Collection, Central Goldfields Art Gallery - Maryborough (others) Institutional collections including: Victorian Artists Society Permanent Collection, Owen Dixon Chambers (others) and numerous Corporate and Private collections throughout Australia and overseas.
Named in the Queens Birthday Honours List in 2005, Paul was awarded the Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM) for services to the Visual Arts as a painter and lecturer.
In 1997 Paul was invited to membership of the historic Twenty Melbourne Painters Society. He is current TMPS President having also served as in that role from 2003 to 2013 and Vice President in 2018 - the TMPS Centenary year.
In 2018 the TMPS invited Paul to write a history of the Society to commemorate its 100th anniversary. The publication "Mavericks and Masters - Centenary of the Twenty Melbourne Painters Society - 1918 - 2018" traces the story of the group and its illustrious membership. The book was launched at the opening of the 100th annual exhibition in August 2018.
Paul is an Honorary Life Member, Fellow, President (1998-2003) Councillor (1992-'98), Trustee (1992 -2003), Editor (1997 - 2003), Tutor and Signatory of the Victorian Artists Society where he has been a very active member since 1976.
In 1998 Paul was elected president of the VAS serving 5 years in office until 2003. As the Society's 29th president in 128 years and the youngest person elected to the position he oversaw major capital works including the first official restoration of the grand facade and roof of the society's historic purpose-built home in Albert St., East Melbourne to original specification. This project was completed in 1999 with the aid of Heritage Victoria and VAS fundraising initiatives.
Paul restored the links between the VAS and the Royal Art Society of NSW leading to reciprocal VAS /RAS interstate exhibitions "Art Across the Border" (2000 and 2003). In administration he was chairman of the VAS Council and led the revision and replacement of VAS bankers, auditors and staff and was chair of the VAS Distinguished Awards Committee which he continues to advise. Appointed Cato Gallery convenor in 1992 he served on the Archives committee 1994 and was acting convenor of VAS Exhibitions in 1999 and VAS Teaching / Education in 2003. He is a past member of the VAS Bottle Brush Club (1993 -2010) and has taught oil painting in the Society's historic studio continuously since 1990 .
Elected a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts, London (1999), member of the Order of Australia Association (2005) he has been appointed honorary member of several regional arts organisations including the Glen Eira Cheltenham Art Group Inc. in 2002 “In appreciation of your time and effort for the benefit of our group” where he tutored for over 40 years and served as president 2002-2004. The Hobson’s Bay Art Society elected him Honorary Member in 1984 and he was awarded Life Membership of the Box Hill Art Group Inc. in 2017 "In honour of 30 years service as tutor".
In 2022, Paul was appointed Victorian Representative of the Royal Art Society of NSW, an honorary position only previously held by Sir William Dargie CBE.
Bibliography:
Author of Curatorial and Biographical Publications including:
Alan Moore, Biographical Catalogue 1994,
Ludmilla Meilerts, Biographical Catalogue 1994,
Author of Articles in periodicals and professional journals including:
Australian Artist Magazine - various articles / features / contributions including :
"Oils the Medium of the Masters" 1989
Various VAS Publications including:
"Victorian Artists Society 1870-2020, Celebrating 150 Years." - Contributor
VAS President's Message - 30 Articles (1998-2003)
Titles including:
"In Tuition" "Pride not Prejudice" "The Object of Objectivity" "Lustre- Less Varnishing Days" "Toxic Cleanliness" "Spectator Art" "First Impressions" "The Test of Time" "A Unique Position in History" "Sir William Dargie" "Reflected Interest"
Others
VAS Publications - Many editorial contributions (1997-2003)
Various TMPS Inc. Publications including:
"Mavericks and Masters - Centenary of the Twenty Melbourne Painters Society, 1918-2018" Author
"90 Years of the Twenty Melbourne Painters Society" - Foreword / Postlude
President's Message - TMPS Annual Catalogue, 2004 -2013
Glen Eira Cheltenham Art Group Newsletter - Editorial - 2002-2004
Various pictorial publications - self published
Numerous Biographical Catalogue / Directory entries since 1984
State Library of Victoria - Archives of Australian Artists.
State Library of Victoria - Oral History Interview - Archive DVD Recording
Who’s Who in Australia
Who's Who in the World
Others
Numerous Newspaper, magazine articles, references, television, radio and print media interviews including:
"The Paint Whisperers” ABC Radio interview with Paul McDonald Smith, ABC Melbourne 774
2004.
Television interview - Paul McDonald Smith with Denise Drysdale, GTV 9 Melbourne 1989
“Portrait of a Founder of the Modern Bar - Sir Oliver James Gillard 1906 – 1984".
Victorian Bar News, 2001
“The 39th Herald Sun Camberwell Rotary Art Show Report”, Australian Artist, June 2002
"Refined Realism" - Art by Herman Pekel and Paul McDonald Smith, Australian Artist, August 2018
Many others.
