Description:

Sidney Smiley
American, 1912-2002

Oil on canvas
Unsigned, dated 9-14-81 to verso. Abstract seascape, unframed.

Sidney Smiley was born in Canada on August 11, 1912. A graduate of Seattle's Cornish School of Music and the University of Washington, Smiley spent most of his life as an accomplished musician. He studied violin at the Chicago Conservatory of Music, played with the Radio City Music Hall Orchestra in New York, and in 1940, joined the Houston Symphony Orchestra as Concertmaster and first violinist. It wasn't until the late '60s that Smiley began a second career as an artist. He worked primarily with oils, wielding his palette knife in broad thick strokes using light, color, and shadow to develop vibrant impressionist works. His work took inspiration from the artist Nicola Simbari (Italian, 1927-2012). His work has been featured in several exhibitions and can be found in numerous private collections. Smiley passed away in 2002.

  • Provenance: The artist, by descent.
  • Dimensions: 30 x 40 in. (76.2 x 101.6 cm.)
  • Medium: Oil on canvas
  • Condition:
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November 15, 2025 10:00 AM CST
St. Louis, MO, US

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