Raymond Smith is an accomplished painter, illustrator, and graphic designer, specializing in figurative art. Ray grew up near Lake Michigan in Hammond, Indiana. He credits his Mom and Grandma for encouraging his entry into art. Whenever Ray would sit down to draw, his Grandma would say, “don’t trace.” She believed in Ray’s talent and ability to develop his own artistic point of view. These were prescient words – Ray is a true original.

A precocious and bright child, Ray would often skip school and visit the local library. What made him most happy was art. Ray’s first commission was from his Aunt Margaret who requested a painting of her daughter’s wedding. Ray was only 11-years-old at the time. He also recalls Mr. Jacobsen, an energetic teacher fresh out of college, who exposed his high school students to different artistic mediums. This is where Ray developed his love for the craft of impressionist painting.

After high school, Ray headed to Chicago in search of creative opportunities. He was hired as an apprentice at the MoonInk design studio. The environment was conducive to Ray’s creativity. He eventually became a Junior Art Director and his portfolio expanded to include graphic design work. He also made time to enroll in a night course at the American Academy of Art, which sharpened his graphic design skills. He went on to serve as an Art Director for a quarterly bank magazine, which enabled him to broaden his network to meet illustrators and photographers.

The east coast was calling to Ray, though, and he made his way to Hoboken in the 1980’s. He took up work in advertising and design for school textbooks. He recalls seeing Mayor Vezzetti walking down the street with a bullhorn on one of his first days in town. This was also when he met HHM Director Bob Foster and even shared a darkroom with him.

Ray learned the importance of affordable housing, especially crucial for artists. He waited in line for 36 hours, with a broken arm, at that, in order to get an apartment in Marine View Plaza. This is now his home base and studio. He lives close to the Hudson River, and is continually inspired by it.

Ray serves as an art instructor for the Stevens Cooperative School. He has been teaching art for twenty five years for various non-profits and schools. He imparts his love of art to the next generation this way.

Among his proudest accomplishments, Ray cites his work in designing “Greetings from Hoboken,” which he has been selling for almost 20 years. Ray’s Hoboken Children's Memorial Flag can be seen on permanent display at Hoboken City Hall. It was the first public 9/11 memorial in Hoboken. Ray is also featured in a recent book, Museum: Behind the Scenes at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, by Danny Danziger.

In his art, Ray always seeks out the most unique aspects of an environment. The “Recent Works by Raymond Smith” exhibit in the Upper Gallery encapsulates the originality of Hoboken through his iconic impressionist paintings. From Church Square Park, to Karma Kafe, viewers will delight in Ray’s work.

"Recent Works" by Raymond Smith will be on display from November 3, 2024-December 22, 2024. All are invited for the Opening Reception on Sunday, November 3rd from 2pm-5pm at the Museum. 

As part of the exhibit, HHM will produce an Online Artist Talk with Raymond Smith and HHM Director Bob Foster on Friday, November 1st at 7pm, which will be livestreamed on YouTube and Facebook.

A special thank you to the Hudson County Office of Cultural & Heritage Affairs/Tourism Development for supporting this exhibit.