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Popular “feel good artist” J.R. Smith’s Paintings Sell Right Off the Artist’s Easel!

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Artist J.R. Smith does well with painting sales and commissions in his home state of Texas. Even as he sent me photographs of his art for this blog article, the artist reported that he’d just received two more painting commissions that day. An art lover visiting the artist’s studio bought the painting titled Spring Ocotillo and Dove as the artist sat working on it at his easel!
Spring Ocotillo and Dove, J.R.Smith

Spring Ocotillo and Dove, J.R.Smith

The well-known and well-liked artist was painting on a Texas ranch over thirty years ago when someone referred to him as a “cowboy artist.” J.R. much prefers the designation made by one art critic who called the artist’s work “feel good art.” J.R. Smith paints public art murals and frequently exhibits his easel size landscapes, horse paintings, other animal paintings, architectural views, portraits, and abstract works in art exhibitions throughout Texas. The Texas-based artist receives national and international attention via exhibitions of his work and via his website. According to J.R. Smith, The Judd foundation hosts numerous art exhibits in their facilities throughout the town of Marfa, Texas, and “for the month of October the foundation has numerous festivities that draw folks from all over the world.”

“One of the main attractions in Marfa is the historic Paisano Hotel. During the filming of the classic film Giant, Rock Hudson, Elizabeth Taylor, and James Dean stayed in the Paisano Hotel. The hotel has an exhibition space named the Greasewood Gallery and I had a very successful abstract show at their Greasewood Gallery last October during the Chinati Foundation festivities. From the show, my painting Turquoise-spikes went to entertainer Matt Skinner of Fort Collins, Colorado.”

Turquoise Spikes, J.R. Smith

Turquoise Spikes, J.R. Smith

Italian sportsman and art collector Mario Nobili recently hunted elk at a ranch in the Alpine, Texas area. He and his wife also traveled to New Mexico and shopped for art.  They stayed at the historic Holland Hotel where artist J. R. Smith has work on display and expressed an interest in visiting the artist’s studio. The artist contacted and the studio visit arranged,  Mr. Nobili arrived and purchased two pronghorn sheep paintings on canvas and a larger image on a wood panel.  The canvases removed from their stretchers, rolled and wrapped for the Nobilis to carry back to Italy on the plane. The large painting on wood put into a crate and shipped to Italy. The collector also commissioned a painting and plans to return to buy more from artist J.R. Smith.

Ghost Home, J.R. Smith

Ghost Home, J.R. Smith

Ghost towns are another popular tourist attraction, and J.R.’s  Ghost Home is a painting based on a building in the ghost town in Terlingua, Texas.
The busy artist recently completed the sixth of a series of nine Cinco de Mayo themed pieces for a Mexican restaurant and is at work on two mural panels, four by eight feet in dimension each, commissioned for a bar and restaurant.
You can contact the artist and view more paintings on his website www.jr-art.com.  You can also view more of his artwork in our sidebar image gallery at right.