Edward Szmyd (1933-2004), born on June 9, 1933 in Trafford, Pennsylvania had decided upon a career as an artist by the age of nine when he won first prize in a community art show. During his high school years, he used his free time to study the work of various artists at the Carnegie Museum. After he graduated from the Art Institute in Pittsburgh, he moved to Florida in 1950 and painted landscapes and still-lifes on the side, selling them along Las Olas Boulevard in Fort Lauderdale for a thousand dollars a canvas until he had accumulated enough of a following to devote himself full time to fine art.

His success enabled Edward Szymd to purchase a home in Dania, Florida which he christened Orchid House, surrounding it with lush gardens, including a variety of orchids. In painting the sun-drenched landscapes and individual flowers and blooms he drew from that inspiration.

Though Edward Szymd specialized in gardens and floral still-lifes, Szymd often traveled to explore other vistas for his art, for instance, painting a rough wintry seascape for a friend based on a trip he made to Maine for that purpose, or traveling south to Mexico for paintings like Puerto Vallarta (collection of the R.W. Norton Art Gallery). On a trip to Tennessee in the 1960s, he passed through Blowing Rock, North Carolina and was enchanted by the area. His national reputation continued to grow as he added mountain scenery and wintry landscapes to his repertoire.

Edward Szymd passed away at the Blowing Rock Hospital in 2004. He left behind a stunning array of paintings completed during a highly prolific career, and his work continues to be highly sought after by collectors around the world.

Biography from www.newmastersgallery.com