Blu Smith

As a young man, Blu Smith worked as a sign painter and commercial artist, developing his accuracy and precision in painting. However, it was these attributes that Smith came to find restricting — his mature style as an abstract painter began as an exercise to free himself from the technical restraints of realism. Non-representational work became a creatively freeing direction that evolved his unique voice as an artist.

“I look at my paintings not as individual pieces but rather as a living, breathing and constantly changing body of work. It really does take on a life of it’s own,” Smith says about his process. His subject matter is based on organic shapes with strong ties to nature, balanced with cavernous spaces that are filled with light so as to glow with an atmospheric quality.

Typically, Smith begins with broad washes and textures, pulling out and developing 3D shapes within the structures. He then attempts to resolve the surface with incisive line drawing. “My work is about the diversity of two different states, the transitions between the two. The real interest lies in bridging the gap between structure and space, foreground and background,” Smith explains.

Smith lives in Victoria, on the west coast of Canada, with his wife and young family. He’s exhibited work throughout Canada, Europe and the U.S. for several years.

 

Solo Exhibitions

2015 April- The Daffodil Gallery, Edmonton, Canada
2014 September- The Avenue Gallery, Victoria, Canada
2014 February- Kurbatoff Gallery, Vancouver, Canada
2013 September- Webster Galleries, Calgary, Canada
2013 February – The Avenue Gallery, Victoria, Canada
2011 March- The Art Gallery Of Greater Victoria, Canada
2010 April- Gallery at Matticks Farm, Victoria, Canada
2008 February- On Canvas Gallery, Victoria, Canada
2004 November- Hambleton Fine Art, Vancouver, Canada
2002 August- Signature Spaces, Victoria, Canada
2001 August- Romano Deco, Victoria, Canada,
1993 – Pop, Vancouver, Canada

 

Selected Group Exhibitions

2015 Sept- The Affordable Art Fair, New York U.S.A.
2015 April- Love Art Fair, Toronto, Canada
2012 December- “Red Dot” Art Fair , Miami Fl, USA
2012 March- “Artistic Pairings” Blu Smith and Ron Parker, Avenue Gallery, Victoria
2012 February- “Transcending Reality”, Webster Galleries, Calgary Ab
2011 September- “Go Big or Go Home”, Avenue Gallery, Victoria
2010 September- “Art in Cognito” Vancouver school of Art, Victoria
2010 February- Nevada Museum Of Fine Art, Las Vegas
2009 December- Florence Biennale, Florence,Italy
2009 February- View St Gallery, Victoria
2008 December- “International Contemporary Masters”, California
2008 October- “TransformArt”, Vancouver

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