D.Marc Smith, Los Angeles
Member Since November 2011
Artist Statement D. Marc Smith was born one in a set of two in Los Angeles in 1966. He, his twin brother and their 4 siblings, grew up in a home filled with music and art. Marc’s mother, his music authority, worked for RCA Records. His father, Arvie Smith, www.arviesmith.com was then, a struggling African American artist in the 60’s painting racially fueled themes. Marc’s young mind was nurtured by the Arts. Having the blood of a famous artist Marc was blessed with a natural talent and an innate desire to paint.
D. Marc Smith received a degree in Art in 1991. Just 3 years later he won a National Championship for AAU Basketball. Back and forth he went between Art and Basketball winning another championship in 2002. Being naturally gifted in the Arts and in Basketball, Marc was constantly playing referee to his two great loves. He was finally able to make peace with these opponents when they began to play together. Not having to give one talent up over the other was Marc’s greatest victory. He found himself expressing the spirit and beauty of Basketball on his canvases.
In basketball Marc sees not just a sport consisting of strategy and technique; Through Marc’s eyes Basketball is as beautiful as dancing to music, it is fluid like the ocean’s waves. Basketball is complete control over one’s body as it maneuvers across the wooden floor. It is energy, it is drive, and it is Art.
With large sweeping brush strokes, his work takes on the fluidity and movement you find in the motion of the body. The brush is firmly grasped, but the brush stroke is light as he dry brushes the canvas. He works in layers first building the form and then covering it as if it is emerging from its environment. His bold use of color infuses energy and creates an essential beauty and positive energy in its self.
Helping people take a positive and creative approach to their own lives inspires Marc. Regardless of one’s mission, he believes this approach will take one far. Team effort and respect is what originates love and clarity in achieving your destination in life. Marc makes his voice heard through his participation in the Positive Coaching Alliance, a non-profit organization started at Stanford in San Francisco. PCA’s goal is to bring more meaning to sports than just the win. Its mission is to use sports as a tool to develop young people’s life-skills. Basketball and Art have been his positive coaching growing up and now he honors the role of Basketball played in his development through his involvement in PCA and he plays the tribute to Art on his canvas.
With great demand for his work, Marc has begun painting as much as he participates in PCA and his Basketball career. Through aesthetic beauty and youth mentoring Marc is making a difference in this world and he hopes this experience encourages others to do the same so that the effect is profound and everlasting.
Where the spirit does not work with the hand there is no art.
Leonardo da Vinci
