"Rising Above" A Gift of Peace for the Vatican
- Geoffrey C. Smith
- Apr 28
- 2 min read
Updated: Jun 19
Announcement of an Exciting Call
For those who might not know, we had a humbling and amazing opportunity at Geoffrey C. Smith Galleries. One of my pieces, the lotus "Rising Above," was given to Pope Francis by the President of the United States on May 24th, 2017, during the President's meeting with the Pope at the Vatican.
The community outpouring of support for me and my artwork is encouraging and inspiring. In a recent interview with Stuart Magazine, long-time collector Mary Ann Houghland said, "I am absolutely delighted that people outside the state of Florida are getting an appreciation for the talents of a wonderful artist, gentleman, husband, and father.”
Eve Samples with TCPalm wrote a news article, "How a sculpture to the Pope made us a little less testy about Trump." She pointed out that once the news hit, "What followed was a swelling of community pride that could not be disturbed by politics." I have long known art connects us at a deep and meaningful place that transends may differences.
That opportunity was a meaningful moment in my career, and now, nearly a decade later, it is especially exciting to see that same path continue in a new way. In 2024, I began working on eagle sculptures for the State Department that will become the latest diplomatic gift for world leaders to receive from the President of the US, including one that will be gifted to the new Pope, Francis. I am so honored that my art has been chosen once again as a symbol of friendship and a gift of peace.
It is encouraging to look back on how far my work has reached, and just as encouraging to see where it is going. Please feel free to contact us or stop by our studio location in Port Salerno with any inquiries!
Be Well, Be loved,
-- Geoffrey C. Smith
Update on Geoffreys Presidental Art Collection
The Presidential Eagle Busts are complete! The current administration is allowing me to sell a few of the this hisoric collection.
Gifts of Peace
When you have an artist as passionate about his work as Geoffrey, he's always there working in the studio. As we dig through our older photos, we've found many, many examples of this. Here he is sculpting one of his sculptures, a pair of doves that he named "Unity." This sculpture drew inspiration from recent events at the time, and it conveys unity, love, and peace.
When he was sculpting this piece, he used wax instead of clay. When warmed, the wax is malleable to his touch and allows for finer and smoother details than the clay he normally uses. Please reach out if you would like more information on this sculpture.
