Devon by Norman Schmidt

Norman Schmidt’s love for drawing and painting started at the age of 6 when he produced a charcoal drawing of a horse’s head from a simple learn-to-draw kit. From that point on, he was hooked on fine art and horses.

Today, Schmidt and his wife operate NSchmidt Design Group, a professional graphic design and photography studio catering to Fortune 500 companies, from their New Jersey horse farm.

Schmidt’s painting style comes from his early schooling in “The Masters of Classical Realism.” This discipline begins with canvas pre-paration with an “imprimatura” layer and then working from dark to light.

This week’s cover, Devon, is a 12″ x 16″ oil painting inspired by the hundreds of contestants who have entered that famous ring in front of those recognizable turrets. Schmidt kept the wonderful family tradition of the Devon Horse Show alive by walking alongside his granddaughter in her first lead line clas in 2008.

Schmidt has had the opportunity to compete in the show jumping ring against such iconic riders as Frank Chapot, Harry deLeyer and Michael Matz. For the past 20 years, however, he has enjoyed foxhunting with the Monmouth County Hunt, (N.J.).