NOTE: An interview with Robert LeRoy Smith is available
on VHS ($10) or DVD ($20)
The Legacy (1927-2001)
Robert Leroy Smith was born in Independence, MO on February 22, 1927. His love of the arts surfaced during his elementary school days and throughout his education, he found himself increasingly bored with academics and longed to submerge himself in art.
Upon graduation from high school in 1945, Robert began what he refers to his real education when he was hired by Harzfeld's Department Store in Kansas City to work in their art department. Over the next nine years, he performed similar retail display management jobs in Amarillo, Atlanta and Houston. While living in Houston, he took classes in drawing, painting, lithograph, and wood-carving. His skills in wood carving would later become a major force in his life. In 1951, while painting sets for the Little Theater of Houston, he began putting his carving talents to work by carving marionettes, then writing plays to bring his creations to life.
In 1954 Robert moved to San Miguel de Allende, Mexico and spent a year painting and selling art in a gallery .He also built a marionette theater, carved more marionettes and performed shows. The following year he returned to Houston and his former job, focusing on Folk singing, song collecting and saving money for his next adventure.
Robert's dream to study and paint overseas was realized in 1957 when he moved to Aix en Province in the South of France. There, he showed his paintings in several exhibits and gave Folk concerts. He traveled around Europe, visiting museums and studying painting. In 1958, he returned to the U.S. and worked in advertising art for Bullock's.
Four years later, in 1962, Robert moved to Florence, Italy and lived there for a year. He studied art and sculpture, and spent time in Sicily looking behind the scenes of their many marionette theaters.
1963 took him back to California where he continued painting, making marionettes and singing. Robert moved to San Francisco in 1965 where he first worked in advertising then in painting murals. He lived there for 26 years, 15 of which were spent at Parnassus Puppets, a marionette theater he founded with Edith Hartnett. In addition to taking more art classes and working in gouache, oils, serigraphs and etchings, Robert lectured and taught marionette construction.
Life's travels came full circle in 1991 when, citing family ties and the need to settle in a "cultured yet exciting place where art of all kinds can flourish," Robert returned home to Independence. He continued making marionettes for himself and was commissioned to make them for other puppeteers. As Artist-in-Residence on the faculty of the Music Arts Institute, Robert taught marionette building, playwriting and performance. He performed for young audiences and became involved with PAI and the Hazelle Project.
In the fall of 2000, Robert was diagnosed with having a brain tumor and despite aggressive treatment and surgery, it became apparent that it was a battle he would not win. Under the brilliant sun of a warm summer afternoon this past August, Robert looked back on his life and proudly said, "I've done everything I ever dreamed of doing. I'm ready to go."
On August 29th, a large group of friends, family members and former students joined Robert at PAI's new museum and exhibition center in Independence, Missouri to pay tribute to him and his life's work. Overwhelmed, he called it "the best day of my life ."
Just a little over a month later, on October 3, 2001, Robert died peacefully. His legacy lives on through the dozens of his remarkable creations currently on exhibit at PAI.
