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Bradley Schmehl is an artist with a love of history and a passion for the Civil War. Brad and his wife Becky live in an 1885 Victorian home in Pennsylvania. Ideas for paintings come to the artist through reading history books, the diaries and letters of soldiers, visiting battlefields and historical sites, and most importantly, talking and exchanging ideas and information with the many interested and interesting people who share his sense of history.
The artist’s paintings require extensive research. Schmehl begins with a rough pencil sketch, usually done on location of the actual site or battlefield. Models are engaged to pose as various characters in the picture, then photographed. Once Schmehl is satisfied that his concept is historically accurate, he begins the actual painting process. Working in oil, on canvas, the artist creates a rough under painting. When this has dried, he over paints the detail and refines his brushwork. Schmehl describes his technique as “painterly realism”.
He says, “I strive to capture the true nature of the light and color. Even while attempting to render meticulous detail, I strive to paint boldly and deliberately.”
As an artist who loves and studies history, Bradley Schmehl has made it his life’s work to research the subjects for his paintings through diaries, letters, books, visiting historical sites, and generally immersing himself in any materials available to him. From the Civil War to the cowboys of the West, Schmehl finds his subjects fascinating. Talking and exchanging ideas and information with others who share Schmehl’s interest in history also offer the artist opportunities to expand his resources. The artist says, “History is a world which is past, yet exerts its influence on us all. It is possible to visit and experience the world of history through the work of writers, filmmakers, living historians, and artists. I want to help open the window on our history so that more people can share in the view.”
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