Reflections on Meeting Queen Elizabeth II at Abbotsford, The Home of Sir Walter Scott
As I write the seventh chapter of my book on Richard’s Schmid’s Legacy, I am keenly aware that I am witness to the passing of an era, marked by the death of her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II on September 8, 2022 at Balmoral Castle in Scotland.
Words really do not express my thoughts or feelings about my once-in-a-lifetime meeting with the Queen at the Royal Opening of Abbotsford’s visitor center on July 3, 2012. Ritual and ceremony are not a part of our daily lives in the 21st century, however commemorating and documenting incredible moments such as these merits my fond remembrance— it’s my way of expressing gratitude for extraordinary lifetime events.
So, I’m posting an excerpt from my chapter titled, “ENGLAND, SCOTLAND & THE JOURNEY TO ABBOTSFORD,” along with a few photos I took during that special occasion. I’m also including the remarkable photo of myself presenting Richard’s masterwork to Queen Elizabeth II, taken by the royal photographer on July, 3, 2013 and a photo of Her Majesty touring one of the historic rooms, given to me exclusively by The Abbotsford Trust.
Queen Elizabeth II along with Sir Walter Scott's descendants were among those present to celebrate the reopening. The historic home at Abbotsford had recently undergone major renovations costing £14 million. It was officially reopened on July 3rd, when attendees celebrated those renovations, the new visitor center, and the installation of Schmid's masterful painting.
Though Richard Schmid was unable to make the trip due to health issues, he was represented by his emisary, Kristen Thies, along with his two daughters, Dr. Bettina Schmid, and Molly Schmid.
Queen Elizabeth II touring Sir Walter’s Scotts’ home, Abbotsford, July 3, 2013. Jason Dyer, past Executive Director, and Beverley Rutherford of The Abbotsford Trust giving a tour of Sir Walter Scott’s study to Queen Elizabeth II and other distinguished members of Scott’s family. Photos ©The Abbotsford Trust 2013.
Molly Schmid gave an impressive presentation on their father's paintings of the British Isles, the evening of July 2nd before Queen Elizabeth’s arrival at Abbotsford to commentate Abbotsford’s Royal Opening the next day.
The Royal Invitation
“I shall always treasure the exceptional grace and kindness of her majesty Queen Elizabeth II. Meeting her and presenting Richard Schmid’s masterwork to the monarch of Great Britain is one of the greatest honors of my life.”
Kristen Thies, Richard Schmid’s emisary presenting “Abbotsford House” oil 30” x 50,” to Queen Elizabeth II, July 3, 2013.
I’m also providing a link to the video I produced as a gift to Richard marking the historic importance of the American Unveiling of his masterwork, “Abbotsford House,” oil 30” x 50” at the Wichita Center for the Arts, Wichita, Kansas in 2012.
This short video highlights the American Unveiling of Richard Schmid’s historic painting of ABBOTSFORD, Sir Walter Scott’s home in Melrose, Scotland. Including an Exhibition of Schmid’s paintings at the Wichita Center for the Arts in Wichita, KS on September 29, 2012. The Exhibition was curated by myself and hosted by The K. T. Wiedemann Foundation, Inc., and my company, West Wind Fine Art, LLC.
"ABBOTSFORD HOUSE-A Master Work by RICHARD SCHMID"
All paintings and narration ©Richard Schmid 2012. ~ Film ©West Wind Fine Art, LLC 2012
Film by Ryan Mellody Produced by Kristen Thies | www.WestWindFineArt.com
Narrated by Richard Schmid | www.RichardSchmid.com
Read more about the event by clicking on the image below.
CHAPTER VII
ENGLAND, SCOTLAND & THE JOURNEY TO ABBOTSFORD
2-Excerpt by KRISTEN THIES ©2022
“If you are a romantic, like I am, and you enjoy traveling, nothing compares with a journey to the ancient and genteel land of Scotland with Richard Schmid. In June 2012, he and his associates were invited to tour Abbotsford, the baronial home and estate of 1-Sir Walter Scott. Richard’s entourage included his wife, Nancy Guzik, his daughter Molly Schmid, Douglas Pringle, President of the K.T. Wiedemann Foundation, and myself.
Perhaps nowhere else in the world is the power of the romantic past more historic and alluring than at Abbotsford. Impressively located on the banks of the River Tweed that flows along the Scottish Borders, Abbotsford is part of the pastoral landscape that inspired the poetry and novels of its architect, author, 1- Sir Walter Scott. Unlike the homes of other great nineteenth-century writers, this is a house Scott designed and constructed, between 1811 and 1817, and it represents the Romantic Movement that the revered writer and author helped to create. It is therefore also entirely fitting that Richard Schmid, who was highly regarded as the last great Romantic Artist of the 20th century, captured Scott’s grand historic building in oil. - From: RICHARD SCHMID, THE LAST GREAT ROMANTIC- US ART, by William U. Eiland-1989.
Our Scotland sojourn was the result, as Scott would say, “The happy combination of fortuitous circumstances.” It all began with a phone call from Doug Pringle, President of The K.T. Wiedemann Foundation, who first viewed Richard Schmid’s paintings in an ad for my gallery and called me to learn more about his artworks.
Eventually, the K. T. Wiedemann Foundation acquired several Schmid oil paintings and placed them on display in The Wiedemann Gallery, located in the former building known as The Wichita Center for the Arts in Wichita, Kansas.
Mr. Pringle is descended from the Pringles of Melrose; whose ancestor was a stonemason who helped build Abbotsford. During his trip as a teenager to Scott’s ancestral home, he met Patricia and Dame Jean Maxwell-Scott—two sisters who were direct descendants of Sir Walter Scott. After Mr. Pringle recounted this memorable adventure, he asked me if Richard might like to paint a large landscape of Scott’s Abbotsford.
Since I knew Richard thoroughly enjoyed former painting trips to the British Isles and was genuinely fond of painting ancient Scottish castles, I called him to find out.
Happily, Richard’s reply was a resounding, “Yes, let’s do it!”
Our entourage arrived in Melrose, Scotland the morning of June 10, 2012 and toured what Scott termed, “My romance of a house,” with Jason Dyer, former Executive Director of the Abbotsford Trust, and his colleagues, Beverley Rutherford, and curator, Matthew Withey. We were also introduced to Lord Sanderson, a Peer in the House of Lords, and his wife Lady Sanderson, who had historic ties to the ancient city of Melrose, Scotland.
Richard remarked, “From the first sight of Abbotsford, I was fascinated by the architectural embellishments—specifically the limestone carvings that I was familiar with from boyhood, having grown up with stone carvings by my Grandfather, Julian Oates, who was from Halifax, England where he learned stone carving in the British tradition.”
While touring the grounds, we located the best view for Richard to paint a study in plein air. The next morning, despite pouring rain, Richard set up to paint and told us, “I had to do it—I was inspired to capture the colors of Scotland.”
Richard with his plein air painting of Abbotsford from The Morris Garden. Photo ©Kristen Thies 2012
Richard Schmid standing with his Plein Air oil Sketch of Sir Walter’s, ancestral home, Abbotsford. Photo © Kristen Thies
As we walked around Abbotsford’s rich historic rooms, I realized that Sir Walter Scott and Richard Schmid shared many attributes. For example, Sir Walter was known, both in his own day and throughout the nineteenth century, as “the wizard of the north,” and was highly esteemed as a pioneer in poetry and fiction by Charles Dickens, William Wordsworth, Charlotte Bronte, and Walt Whitman. Queen Victoria stayed at Abbotsford during her first visit to Scotland, and was so inspired that she modeled Balmoral Castle after it.
Today, many historians regard Scott as the father of the Romantic Movement, which changed the face of world literature, even during Sir Walter’s lifetime. He also pioneered both the historical and psychological novel, in which he showed how history shapes minds and how minds shape history. According to Emeritus, Professor T. Douglas Gifford, “Scott’s 26 novels and his poems along with his nonfiction work– a nine volume THE LIFE OF NAPOLEON, published in 1827— was literature’s, first-world best seller.”
Similarly, the leading artists and fine art historians of our time revere Richard for his landmark book, ALLA PRIMA- EVERYTHING I KNOW ABOUT PAINTING I and II, which has been acquired by artists and art lovers in more than fifty countries worldwide since its first publication in 1998.
1-Sir Walter Scott, (1771-1832),1st Baronet, was a Scottish historical novelist, poet, playwright and historian. Many of his works remain classics of European and Scottish literature, notably the novels Ivanhoe, Rob Roy, Waverley, to name a few, along with his narrative poems, The Lady of the Lake, and Marmion. Scott had a major impact on European and American literature.
2- Excerpt from Kristen’s forthcoming book on Richard Schmid’s Legacy, to be published in 2023 by his company, Stove Prairie Press, LLC.
©Kristen Thies and the Richard Schmid Fine Art Foundation 2022-2023.
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Warmly, Kristen
