About the artist:

Bradley J. Schmehl has shown artistic talent from childhood. Once, as a six year old, he drew a picture of construction workers who had been laboring in the street by his parent's house. His Mother, noticing some of the figures were much smaller than others, questioned her son about it. His response: "Those little men in my picture are farther away than the bigger ones". Thus, Brad demonstrated an intuitive grasp of the Law of Diminution in perspective, just one of the concepts that would be clarified and expanded in his subsequent artistic training. Brad self-publishes selected prints, however, Somerset House publishes Brad's limited edition Civil War prints (except for the "Irish Brigade Series"). Green Flag Productions published the "Irish Brigade Series" limited prints. Brad's Civil War images are featured in the Greystone Communications video, "The Irish at Gettysburg" as well as numerous books. He actively supports battlefield preservation organizations and Civil War historical groups, donating prints for fundraising. Brad was born on March 28, 1962 in Reading, PA. He married his wife, Rebecca, in September 1987. Family life plays an important role in Brad's life. His interests include playing the guitar & writing music (he is a member of his church's worship team). Reading is his pastime, especially historical and military subjects. Bradley Schmehl is an artist with a love of history and a passion for the Civil War. Today 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, a most importantly, talking and exchanging ideas and information with many interested and interesting people who share a sense of history. Each of the paintings requires 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 underpainting. When this has dried, he overpaints 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." Schmehl's six-part Gettysburg Series has been well received by Civil War buffs, as was the five-part Valley Campaign. His latest release, Cowboy Church, takes on a more peaceful subject.