Among the thousands of people who showed up at the Horseshoe & Paris during the months of the World Series Of Poker (WSOP), there was someone who did not travel as a player, but as an artist entering with curiosity into a new world to explore. This is Richards Smit
Smit is an artist from New York City. Throughout his career, he has portrayed all kinds of events. From music concerts to theater plays and even political demonstrations in the streets. Through his vision and his stroke, Richards specializes in capturing the essence of people immersed in a particular situation, such as, for example, a poker tournament.
“The magic of drawing is that someone paid attention. The artist paid attention to some strange detail of our lives and summarized it in a drawing. And I believe poker is very much about paying attention,” Smit said in an interview with American media.
During His Time At The WSOP, Richards Smit Captured Several Moments, Like This One Where Christoph Vogelsang Poses With His Face Hidden
One of the things that intrigued Smit the most was the difference he noticed between the professionals and the rest of the players. The illustrator realized almost instantly, after a first walk through the room, that professional players paid much more attention to the game than recreational players.
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“When you walk past the tables, you realize that most people don’t seem to be paying attention. Some have headphones on, others are scrolling through their phone screens. That was another thing that fascinated me,” Smit said enthusiastically.
“Maybe players behave in a way not to visually reflect what they feel. Maybe they are completely stressed, but act opposite to what they are experiencing. And that for fifteen hours of play each day. That seems wonderful to me about poker. People are giving their best to hide their tells and conceal everything,” the illustrator also reflected.
Richards Smit Also Portrayed Phil Hellmuth, Whom He Described As “The Goat”
Through poker, Smit was able to find something he did not find in other sports. The possibility of transferring onto paper what is perceived psychologically.
“It’s not like in physical sports, where you see someone running across a field and making a fantastic play. Poker is so psychological. And, as a visual person, I find it fascinating to try to capture through visuals the psychological aspect of the game,” Smit emphasized.
Richard Smit, The Artist.
Perhaps this first step into the world of poker will motivate Smit to continue traveling to the great tournaments around the world. It wouldn’t be surprising if in the future we see the best players in the world posing for an illustrator, instead of a photographer, in the middle of a tournament.
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