Artists

Blu Smith

Artist Profile

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 does take on a life of its 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 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 an incisive line drawing. “My work is about the diversity of two different states and the transitions between them. The real interest lies in bridging the gap between structure and space, foreground and background,” Smith explains.

Smith lives in Victoria, BC, on the west coast of Canada, with his wife and family. He has exhibited work throughout Canada, Europe, and the United States.

SOLO EXHIBITS

  • 2018 March, The West End Gallery, Edmonton, Canada
  • 2017 Nov.-The Avenue Gallery, Victoria, Canada
  • 2016 Nov.- The Avenue Gallery, Victoria, Canada
  • 2016 Feb- Kurbatoff Gallery, Vancouver, Canada
  • 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

GROUP EXHIBITS

  • 2018 November- Aisah Allabbar Gallery, Dubai EAU
  • 2016 March- The Affordable Art Fair, New York, NY USA
  • 2015 Sept- The Affordable Art Fair, New York, NY USA
  • 2015 April- Love Art Fair, Toronto, Canada
  • 2012 December- “Red Dot” Art Fair, Miami Florida, USA
  • 2012 March- “Artistic Pairings” Blu Smith and Ron Parker, Avenue Gallery, Victoria
  • 2012 February- “Transcending Reality”, Webster Galleries, Calgary Alb
  • 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 Nevada, USA
  • 2009 December- Florence Biennale, Florence, Italy
  • 2009 February- View St Gallery, Victoria
  • 2008 December- “International Contemporary Masters”, California
  • 2008 October- “Transform Art”, Vancouver 2017