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Showcasing John H. Smith, Toronto Artist

In memory of our late father, artist, mentor and writer

Showcasing John H. Smith, Toronto Artist

In memory of our late father, artist, mentor and writer

john's Background

Born and raised in Leicester, England, John immigrated to Canada in 1952. He began his career in advertising art, planning and creating corporate campaigns. He later became an art education consultant with British based Reeves Art Supplies. In the late seventies, John chose to focus on his fine art painting, producing both large scale oils and watercolours. For over 30 years, John also taught painting at his Toronto studio and in Markham. John travelled throughout Ontario, Eastern Canada and Barbados, often painting en plain air to accurately reflect the spirit and essence of the landscape, towns and people. His paintings are included in many private and corporate collections across Canada, England and the United States.

artist statement

john's Background

"To analyze, criticize, edit and reform the thrust of the work and to present new beginnings.

To come to grips with our environment.

To revise our thinking and to re-evaluate our concerns.

For me, the relationship to environment is essential to our expression. Always a new look, new slant, new rushing to the edge, working with the existing, proposing the impossible and making the impossible understandable. My mission is to shed new light on the existing subject of life and to translate my thoughts into a visual reality".

medium

inspiration

Encompassing both representational and abstract, John's collection of work includes large scale oils on canvas completed in studio with brush and palette knife. John also painted extensively en plein air using watercolours to accurately reflect the spirit and essence of a scene. Regardless of medium, John focussed on creating an atmosphere and sense of drama through light, shadow and colour. He was a master at adjusting his palette to capture the light and mood of the scene in front of him. He often added playful characters and whimsical titles that reflect his sense of humour.

inspiration

Time spent travelling in Northern Ontario, Quebec and Eastern Canada, resulted in work that evokes a reverence for the power and diversity of the land. All explorations are linked by a common preoccupation with portraying beauty amidst disorder and life that defies adversity and isolation. Regardless of content, all paintings by John are rooted thematically in the desire to recreate experiences of locality, place and identity. Works of empathy and humility tell a candid story about this land and its people. Many of his images are of urban and rural scenes that have evolved or that no longer exist, and thus, represent moments in time that will hold special memories for many people.

Showcasing John H. Smith, Toronto Artist

Showcasing John H. Smith, Toronto Artist

Welcome

john's Background

john's Background

john's Background

artist statement

john's Background

john's Background

medium

inspiration

inspiration

inspiration

inspiration

inspiration

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Oils

Watercolours

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