Upper Township’s Tim Smith practiced by doing 100 drawings in 100 days for Ocean City Arts Center fundraiser
OCEAN CITY – To prepare for doing 15-minute portraits at the Ocean City Arts Center Fall Fundraiser Oct. 17, Upper Township artist Tim Smith drew one of his Instagram followers every day.
He did that for 100 days.
Smith and fellow artist Tony Troy, who may be best known locally for his beautiful murals inside The Flanders Hotel, were featured attractions at the Arts Center fundraiser at Adelene restaurant at the Port-O-Call Hotel.
Smith and Troy spent the two hours of the early-evening event drawing some of the nearly 100 people who came to socialize and enjoy hors d’oeuvres and beverages in the ocean-front restaurant.
Patrons paid an extra $20 to have Smith or Troy spend 15 to 20 minutes doing their portraits.
Arts Center Board of Trustees President Jack Devine had the idea for the fundraiser, fondly remembering the sketch artists of years past who worked the Ocean City Boardwalk during the summer. Devine thought the attraction might spark the creative juices of people seeing the artists work, encouraging them to take a class at the Arts Center.
This reporter plunked down his $20 to have his drawing done and used the opportunity to interview Smith.
Smith was not professionally trained, having gone to college to be a teacher. He taught for eight years, but always enjoyed art.
“I was always sketching and drawing since I was a little kid,” Smith said, constantly shifting his focus from his subject back to the paper stock while answering the reporter’s questions.
“I had a bad injury and was on the couch for a while so I picked back up my pencil for the first time in a long time and ever since I did that it was almost like meditation for me,” Smith said. “I felt like I had filled a void I had been missing since college baseball was over. It gave me something to work on and get better at. I really enjoyed it.”
Fast forward a few years.
“I left teaching and have been doing this full-time. I’m very lucky to have had some great opportunities and I’ve had a lot of fun doing it.”
Smith typically uses pencil or acrylic paint as his mediums.
“I love painting big vibrant paintings, but the majority of the time I’m either drawing or using acrylic paint,” he said. “I never ventured too much out with oils. I don’t know if I’m patient enough for that. When I paint I like to be moving a lot and painting quickly, a lot of big brush strokes. I need something that dries fast so I can go back over it with another layer.”
Smith makes his living as an artist, not specifically as a portrait artist. He does murals, commissioned paintings, sells prints and gives art lessons because of his teaching background. He said he has about 25 to 30 students he sees over the course of a month, but in the summer that is over the course of a week.
“I do anything and everything that keeps me in the studio. I really enjoy doing murals. I try to show somewhere new several times a year,” Smith said.
Asked what enticed him to try the quick portraits at the Arts Center fundraiser, he cited board member Patti Speed.
“I’ve always done portraits,” he said, and would post them on social media.
“Patti saw them and asked if I would like to do this. I thought it would be fun and it is fun. I’m enjoying it,” Smith said.
“To prepare, I’ve been drawing a new follower every day for the past 100 days on Instagram and giving them the portrait, just to practice. I surprise them. They don’t know they’ve been chosen.”
That practice, aside from preparing him to draw people in a beautifully decorated, busy Adelene dining room bustling with spirited conversations, provided an added benefit.
“It’s been great. It’s grown my business. It’s been awesome for that. It’s free marketing,” he said.
Smith explained how the time limitations impacted his work.
“For these I’m always telling people I’m going for the likeness. Fifteen, 20 minutes isn’t a lot of time,” he said.
As he was drawing this reporter, someone watching commented, “It’s wonderful.”
“All right,” Smith said, smiling. “We’ve got one approval and it wasn’t my mom.”
The subject’s wife gave her full approval as well. Then other friends gave their thumbs up as Smith finished.
“It makes you look younger,” one said. “He took off 10 years,” another said.
“He gave me a little tip,” Smith joked. “We’re getting good approvals here. That’s a good sign. I might stop after this one and stop while I’m ahead.”
He didn’t stop. Others got to enjoy his portraits and Troy’s.
Find out more about the classes and exhibits offered at the Ocean City Arts Center go online to oceancityartscenter.org or call (609) 399-7628 or visit it on the second floor of the Ocean City Community Center, 1735 Simpson Ave. The Arts Center is open 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Friday and 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturdays.
To see Smith’s work, including those 100 portraits, find him on Instagram @timsmithart. His website is www.theartworkoftimsmith.com. Email him at tssdraw@gmail.com. Troy also is on Instagram – @tonytroyart – and Facebook at Tony Troy Art.
Editor’s note: David Nahan is on the board of trustees of the Ocean City Arts Center.
– STORY and PHOTOS by DAVID NAHAN/Sentinel staff
