Biography
The artist, Sam Goodsell, in the studio with some of his work.
Sam Goodsell was born in 1966 in the South Bronx, New York City, where he currently resides. He began his art training at Manhattan’s High School of Art and Design with Irwin Greenberg, Irv Docktor and Max Ginsburg. At a time when the school’s curriculum heavily favored abstraction, these three instructors gathered together serious students for unofficial classes in figurative painting. Participating in this group, which came to be known as “The Old Hat Club”, was critical to his development as a realist artist. Sam continued his studies at the Art Students League of New York and The National Academy of Design, studying intensively with Harvey Dinnerstein and Irwin Greenberg. In addition, he studied with Nelson Shanks, Dan Gheno and Minerva Durham at her Spring Street Studio in SoHo.
Sam is the recipient of numerous awards and honors, including the Art Students League’s 2004 Edward G. MacDowell Travel Grant, which allows artists to study in Europe. Other awards include the Lloyd Sherwood Grant in 1998; the Best of Show Award at the Pastel Journal’s 5th Annual Pastel 100 competition in 2003 and an Art Spirit Foundation Silver Medal for Excellence in 2005; the Best in Show Award at the Connecticut Pastel Society’s 12th annual exhibition in 2005 and the CPS Founders Award at the 17th annual exhibition in 2010; the Herman Marguilles Award for Excellence at the Annual Pastel Society Exhibit in 2007 and the Andrew Giffuni Memorial Award at the Annual Pastel Society Exhibit in 2005; and the Art Spirit Foundation Gold Medal of Honor for Excellence in Pastel at the Hudson Valley Art Association’s 75th Anniversary Show in 2006.
The artist was featured in the September 2011 and February 2007 issue of The Artist’s Magazine. The October 2010 and April 2005 edition of The Pastel Journal Magazine. He was also profiled in the April 2008 edition of American Artist Magazine. He is included in Maggie Price’s book, Painting With Pastels: Easy Techniques to Master the Medium (North Light Books, 2007) and in Pure Color: The Best of Pastel, by Maureen Bloomfield and Ken Markel (North Light Books, 2006). He is also included in the book, Classical Life Drawing Studio, by James Lancel McEihinney and The Instructors of The Art Students League of New York (Sterling Publishing Company, 2010).
Sam occasionally conducts workshops in the tri-state area.
Sam is the recipient of numerous awards and honors, including the Art Students League’s 2004 Edward G. MacDowell Travel Grant, which allows artists to study in Europe. Other awards include the Lloyd Sherwood Grant in 1998; the Best of Show Award at the Pastel Journal’s 5th Annual Pastel 100 competition in 2003 and an Art Spirit Foundation Silver Medal for Excellence in 2005; the Best in Show Award at the Connecticut Pastel Society’s 12th annual exhibition in 2005 and the CPS Founders Award at the 17th annual exhibition in 2010; the Herman Marguilles Award for Excellence at the Annual Pastel Society Exhibit in 2007 and the Andrew Giffuni Memorial Award at the Annual Pastel Society Exhibit in 2005; and the Art Spirit Foundation Gold Medal of Honor for Excellence in Pastel at the Hudson Valley Art Association’s 75th Anniversary Show in 2006.
The artist was featured in the September 2011 and February 2007 issue of The Artist’s Magazine. The October 2010 and April 2005 edition of The Pastel Journal Magazine. He was also profiled in the April 2008 edition of American Artist Magazine. He is included in Maggie Price’s book, Painting With Pastels: Easy Techniques to Master the Medium (North Light Books, 2007) and in Pure Color: The Best of Pastel, by Maureen Bloomfield and Ken Markel (North Light Books, 2006). He is also included in the book, Classical Life Drawing Studio, by James Lancel McEihinney and The Instructors of The Art Students League of New York (Sterling Publishing Company, 2010).
Sam occasionally conducts workshops in the tri-state area.
