Feature Interview with Josh Smith is posted

[Ben Cowan-Dewar]

Josh Smith's career in golf has been illustrious thus far, including stints with some great architects at great clubs.

However, in finding his true talent in painting, I think that he will establish himself among the elite class of painters in the years to come.

His interview has some of his beautiful work, including the third at County Down, which was a commission by none other than Ran Morrissett.

Josh's path is almost as interesting as his current profession and I imagine he will be the envy of a few GCAers.

Cheers,

[Daryl David]

Great interview.  Josh is certainly a talented young man.  It will be interesting to see over time which career track takes dominance; superintendent or artist.  

I was especially interested in question 6 about the work in progress of Ballyneal #10.  I believe that is the painting my wife commissioned for my birthday in it's early stages.  Here is the final product.  Very cool!

[Jordan Wall]

Oe day I will get a Josh Smith painting...they are so good...very talented..

Great interview too.

[Rich Goodale]

Superb interview and a great story.

[Ben Cowan-Dewar]

Daryl,
What a great post, thanks for the image.

[RJ_Daley]

I second all the superlatives already said.

I got the sense of "Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man", in that Josh seems to have a bit of rebellion with the conventional techniques and approaches to big company GC construction as as Stephen Dedalus did with the RCC in Ireland.

I love how TD, Mike D., have been supportive and their crews naturally took to Josh and recognised something in him.  

I think we all do!

Please stay with your paintings Josh, I can't wait to see what your evolved work will become.  

[Josh Smith]

To whom it may concern...

As a favor to me, not that anyone owes me any, but I would love to hear which is your favorite painting, assuming you like any, and which is your least favorite painting and a reason or two why.  I am curious to see where people's tastes lie.  (doing so without seeing what others have mentioned would really be most beneficial and objective.)

       Thanks for posting.  I cannot wait to see Cabot Links.  

Daryl,
   
        I'm really glad you like the finished painting.  I felt that was the best photo I got while at Ballyneal and thought it would work well as a painting.  That hole has a great feel.
Also, it was the first Ballyneal painting I've been able to do since first visiting it.  Excited to do more now.

Jordan,

         Glad to have you back man.  

Rich and RJ,

          Thanks.

[Jeff_Mingay]

Josh,

As you know, I love your work (enjoyed the interview, too).

My favourite paintings are the "darker" ones, in which you use duller tones that invoke a stormy... darker situation. The approach to the first at Bandon Trails, for example; seven at Ballyneal; and, seventeen at Sand Hills.  

I also prefer those paintings that present a unique, somewhat unexpected view across a landscape; rather than a straightforward look off a tee or into a green.  

[Tim Bert]

Josh,

I really enjoy your work.

For me, the most enjoyable efforts are the ones where reality and fantasy seem to merge, but the feeling of the golf hole and the surroundings are left in tact.  Maybe I'm lazy, but for the courses I've played, I prefer the ones where I immediately recognize the hole and then can focus on taking in the beauty of the painting to the ones where I have to think about which hole it is, which detracts from the enjoyment for me.

Examples: PacDunes #3, #11, #13 jump off the page to me as those holes.  Then I can settle into the surroundings and the painting itself.  Same thing with Sand Hills #4.  I have never been to Royal County Down, but your painting from #3 there really captures my attention as well.

Bandon Trails #1 is an example where I found myself working to see the hole.  I think all of your painting work is great, but the ones that immediately capture the essence of the hole for me really stand out.  For ones that I haven't seen live, Kingsley #6 is one that I don't prefer.  I found myself googling images of that hole because the mounding looked too severe for me to even imagine playing there.  

Thanks for sharing your work with everyone here!

[Will E]

Josh,
I can't wait until you get to be so famous that I can afford to buy your prints.
Or that Ben runs out of wall space and makes me a deal on the paintings that won't fit on his walls.
Your website is very cool, I look forward to watching your career progress.

[Tommy_Naccarato]

Is it me, or is there only one question up on Josh's interview?

[Daryl David]

Must be you.  I see the whole inteview.

[Adam Clayman]

Josh, I too like the lower light pics. You seem to be able to feel the textures, especially Ran's RCD.

It reminds me of those cloudy days in arid environs. The colors seem to pop especially the reds and browns when the light is difused.

Great interview!

[Tommy_Naccarato]

I figured it out, but there was a HUGE gap between questions 1 & 2.

Great interview Josh.

[RJ_Daley]

Some of your paintings have a hazy evening-like quality, yet shimmering portions for contrast of brightness in the new day to come, and remind me of some of what I have seen of the Hudson River School of landscape.  Even though I understand the the Hudson River school emphasised the notion of a new American Landscape of infinite promise and blessed by the hand of the creator (and we can't elevate TD or other GCAs to that level of diety) the same tranquility of the notion of a new day approaching among some stormy or settling evening skies hits me as a theme.

Your sentiments and style seems to vary to me.  I like the old time painting quality of the scene of the Valley Club of Montecito.  It looks like it was painted in the 20s.  Yet, some of your paintings look like those of what I would call a modern or contemporary painter.  

I also see a variation in proportion and perspective.  The big active sky over one of the Pac Dunes holes is different proportion and staging than the emphasis on many others where the ground is featured as the active component with a smaller and tranquil sky.

I'd love to see these in person and look at the brush work detail.  

[Tony Ristola]

My grandfather was an artist and said it takes tremendous skill to paint something picture perfect, but it takes more skill to create art that looks like the subject and has tremendous feeling. All your work has tremendous feeling.

It makes you want to jump into the canvas, clubs over the shoulder, and enjoy that moment.

[Andrew Mitchell]

Great interview, superb work.

When my lottery numbers come up I'll be in touch re a commission

[Jordan Wall]

A little more Josh Smith, for those who enjoy his work..

http://www.joshuacfsmith.com/intro.html

[Bob Jenkins]

Josh,

Love your work at Bandon. It really exhibits the feel of the scenes. Especially 13 at Pacific Dunes.

Thanks for sharing it with us.

Bob Jenkins

[Kevin_Reilly]

Josh, in answer to your question, I like #16 at Harding because it seems to capture the feeling of wind off the lake and you've really done a great job with the scale of the cypress trees around the green area.  That picture just reminds me of the countless times I've played the hole - my favorite on the course.

I live in Lafayette -- I will keep my eyes open for that hole you did in Orinda!  I hope the owner has kept it up.  Have you done anything at Orinda CC?

[Josh Smith]

Jeff, Bob, Tim, Adam, RJ, Kevin.

Thanks for the specific feedback.  It is really interesting to hear the comments, and with almost everything I agree.  I hope to be able to hear others comments as well as it really bumps up my drive to paint more often when I process your passionate views.

I try to hear opinions of well versed golf minds.  It is excellent for learning.  And as great as it is to hear Bill Coore say once or twice something about "your beautiful paintings" and rattle off a few hole numbers,  I would rather he pointed out something specific he liked or loathed.  I can learn more that way.

To clarify, I'm not just going to paint what people like the most, but from that small percentage of people with great taste, I am eager to hear their views.


I too love the higher contrast feeling usually meaning large areas of dark. I want the paintings to be careful representations of the genius architecture, but still leave the eye to fill in a few blanks and not have the painting feel static with too much detail.

I think I will keep learning till I die, painting may be harder to master than golf.  They say you have to do 500 paintings before you really know what you are doing.  I am only about 40 in.

Also, thanks Tony, Tommy, Jordan, Shooter, and Andew.