Auburn sculptor opens downtown gallery

Auburn sculptor J. Randall Smith is bringing his signature "kraku" style of artwork to his own gallery in downtown Auburn. The new Smith & Boggs Studio/Galleries opens Wednesday, Jan. 18, on High Street. "I've always wanted to have my own space and my own identity," Smith said this week. "So this is the perfect place for people to come and see my work directly. It's nice to know I am now part of the arts community as a distinct gallery artist in Auburn."Smith previously had a studio in the downtown Auburn Arts Council of Placer County building at 808 Lincoln Way, as well as space in Old Town Auburn, which the Smiths closed about four months before the Old Town fire in October.Smith & Boggs Studio/GalleriesWhere: 1130 HIgh St., Downtown Auburn When: Opening Wednesday, Jan. 18Hours: The gallery will be open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Wednesdays through SaturdaysCall: (916) 289-7133 or see Web site www.jrandallsmith.comSmith grew up in Auburn, graduating from Placer High School. He received his art training from the California College of Arts and Crafts in Berkeley. After college, he returned to Auburn. He worked as a graphic designer and was on the staff of KCRA-TV in Sacramento. He also was a partner in an advertising group.He and wife Catherine have three children. Catherine Smith handles accounting and the business side of things. Daughter Marin Boggs does marketing for her father's work and will be running a second gallery in the building, the Marin Nichole Gallery.Smith made the move to full-time artist four years ago. "He promised himself by age 50 he would be a full-time artist," Boggs said. "And he is accomplishing that goal." Smith is probably best known for his horse sculptures, but his work encompasses a wide range of subjects. In fact, the horse-themed work happened almost by accident.About five years ago he was asked to donate a sculpture of horses. It turned out to become a very popular subject. "There are so many people who own horses and love horses in the area," Smith said.The local art community is welcoming Smith's new gallery. "We'll have another Art Walk venue in the new J. Randall Smith galleries," said Angela Tahti, executive director of the Arts Council. "I am thrilled for him and for the whole enterprise, including his daughter and wife."But Smith's move from The Arts Building will be felt."I personally will miss their presence here (in The Arts Building), but we won't miss their presence in Placer County and in Auburn," Tahti said. "We're gaining another venue for the public to discover. This will be another cultural asset in Placer County and Auburn, and I look forward to taking people to his new gallery and cross-referencing the arts community in the area."In addition to providing a larger area to showcase his work, Smith is looking forward to the expanded studio, which at 1,400 square feet nearly triples what he had before. There's also an outdoor work area."In the back there is unique space where I can work on large stone and large sculptures, rather than being limited to what I could do in a room. I can now work in my own back yard and create larger-scale pieces in stone, wood and bronze," Smith said.The sculptor's plans include a return to painting - prior to his focus on sculpture, he worked in airbrush format. This time he'll be working with acrylics on canvas. "Past clients have always asked if I was going to paint again," Smith said. "Ill be painting subject matter that is familiar to me and people will recognize they are similar to my sculptures, but in a looser, abstract way showing texture and movement."The paintings will go on display Feb. 15.The sculpture of Jennifer Johnson of Sacramento will be the inaugural exhibit in the second gallery. Johnson, whose work is shown at the Pam Skinner Gallery in Sacramento, specializes in metal sculpture of female figures and horses. She also will be introducing works in bronze. The Smith & Boggs Studio/Galleries is at 1130 High St., in downtown Auburn, in the building that previously housed Music & More. The Journal's Gloria Young can be reached at gloriay@goldcountrymedia.com.