Smith, Ray Campbell 1916-

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SMITH, Ray Campbell 1916-

PERSONAL: Born January 25, 1916, in London, England; son of Harold Frederick (a naval commander) and Daisy Gladys (a homemaker) Smith; married Eileen Joyce Devereux, April 25, 1945; children: Wendy Maralyn Smith Baker, Paul Devereux. Ethnicity: "British; English." Education: Croydon School of Art, London, degree (with honors), 1952. Politics: "Middle of the road." Religion: Church of England. Hobbies and other interests: Preservation of the countryside and architecture, studying historic buildings.

ADDRESSES: Home—Finchcocks, 5 Wildernesse Mount, Sevenoaks, Kent TN13 3QS, England.

CAREER: Art teacher at grammar schools and secondary schools in and around London, England, 1947-88; writer and artist, 1988—. Creator of instructional videotapes for film companies and television networks. Paintings included in collections, including those of the National Trust, Lord and Lady Sackville, and the Duke and Duchess of Devonshire. Military service: British Army, Royal Artillery, 1939-46; became captain; received Bronze Oak Leaf.

MEMBER: Royal Society of Arts (fellow), British Society of Painters (fellow), British Watercolour Society (associate).

AWARDS, HONORS: SAA (Society for All Artists) Award, best book and video category, 1997.

WRITINGS:

Fresh Watercolour: Bring Light and Life to Your Painting, David & Charles (Newton Abbot, Devon, England), 1991.

Developing Style in Watercolour, David & Charles (Newton Abbot, Devon, England), 1993.

Watercolour for All: A Practical Guide for Beginners and Improvers, David & Charles (Newton Abbot, Devon, England), 1994.

The Art of Watercolour: A Guide to the Skills and Techniques, Reader's Digest Association (Pleasantville, NY), 1995.

Watercolour Work-out: Fifty Landscape Projects from Choosing a Scene to Painting the Picture, David & Charles (Newton Abbot, Devon, England), 1996.

Ray Campbell Smith's Way with Watercolour: Exploring Landscape Painting, David & Charles (Newton Abbot, Devon, England), 1997.

Classic Techniques for Watercolour Landscapes, David & Charles (Newton Abbot, Devon, England), 2002.

Other books include three titles in the "Learn to Paint" series and three titles in the "Step by Step Leisure Arts" series, both Search Press, 1987-2003. Contributor of more than 200 articles and reviews to art magazines.

WORK IN PROGRESS: Another book on watercolor painting.

SIDELIGHTS: Ray Campbell Smith once told CA: "Art has always been my consuming passion, and I expressed this in painting and in teaching others to paint. I have contributed to leading art magazines and, when approached by publishers, I agreed to write a book on painting. This quickly became a best-seller and encouraged me to write several more.

"I am interested in a variety of media, but have concentrated on watercolor in recent years. I am inspired by nature and am interested in the imaginative treatment of landscapes and seascapes, with lively color, bold brushwork, and powerful tonal contrasts."