Cameron Smith, the venerable advertising executive and personality in Dallas’s cultural scene, embarks on a new journey with the opening of Bishop Arts Modern, a mixed-media studio and gallery featuring his own work and the talent of guest artists in the realms of music, art and fashion. His exhibit, Life in Black & White, the first of his own deeply personal four-part series entitled ARTX4, will debut with an opening reception on Saturday, April 1st from 5:00 to 8:00 PM. The event, featuring a surprise musical guest from his Grammy laden Bishop Arts Theater Center Jazz Series, is open to the public. Bishop Arts Modern is located at 518 W Davis Street, Dallas, TX 75208.
Smith, very much a Renaissance man, has been involved in the art world – from music and architecture to fine art and fashion —since his early days in Edmonton, Alberta. He’s beloved as a former radio and television personality as the morning host on 107.5 The Oasis and as host and Executive Producer of Smooth Jazz TV. Viewed in more than 20 countries over 13 seasons, Smith worked with the greatest names in jazz, including Herbie Hancock, Chick Corea, Al Jarreau and George Benson. He’s a sought after curator of superstar talent for global concert clients including Warren Hill’s CanCun Jazz Festival, the Bishop Arts Theater Center Jazz Series, and the Java Jazz Festival in Jakarta, Indonesia. Musicians including Grammy winners Chris Botti, David Foster, Sting, David Sanborn and dozens more have accompanied Cameron to perform for his clients worldwide. “Cameron is one of the most trusted artistic visionaries on the planet” says Chris Botti. As the stage host for massive music-centric events his musician friends have come to trust his sage wisdom and undeniable flair including the Dave Koz Cruise with this year’s ports of call in Venice, Croatia, Montenegro and Santorini with more than 50 Jazz stars on board. All the while Smith revels in his role as a “modern mad man” as a veteran advertising executive at CBS radio in Dallas with A list clients that include the Dallas Cowboys, Subway, Fans United and AT&T.
His uber fashion sense has made him a tastemaker in fashion circles, impeccably assembling his wardrobe from a wide array of must-have purveyors including Stanley Korshak, Forty Five Ten, Traffic Los Angeles and vintage stores, and is a regular at David Glazer’s award winning design showroom in New York City where he has long been a close friend and fashion muse to its legendary founder. A 22-year resident of Oak Cliff, Smith is envied for his Bauhaus art deco home in East Kessler Park which served as the 1936 Texas State Fair “All Electric Home of the Future.”
Cameron is finally revealing his work as a truly modern artist, embracing his past experiences and inspirations to create a new visual vernacular. Now, photography, sculptures, oil paintings, minimalist lamps, and other artistic mediums are under his creative vision, honed talent, and skilled management as artist and owner of Bishop Arts Modern.
“My life after television had always been about advocacy, management and counsel of truly great musicians, while my own art was subordinate to my loyalty and compassion for my clients” Smith explained. “So several years ago I made a conscious decision to manifest my own art. I stopped managing artists completely and just started managing myself. I found the perfect studio space just a few blocks from my East Kessler home at the Bishop Arts Co-op on Davis and got really serious about applying the core principles of Jazz to my own visual disciplines. Mastery of technique was a given, then I focused on improvisation and experimentation above all else and the willingness to be totally vulnerable artistically. I was terrified but completely liberated at the same time. I didn’t show any of my work to anyone for more than a year and finally committed to get out on the skinny branches and let some people into my creative space and experience my art. It’s the best decision I ever made.”
His first exhibit, Life in Black & White, is a Franz Kline-inspired collection featuring large format black and white photography and a series of monochromatic minimalist paintings with Indian ink on archival watercolor paper. The exhibit will be on display from April 1 through April 23.