* All images used with permission. Please do not distribute without first contacting the artist.
Mike Smith was born in South Africa and raised in Zimbabwe, he arrived in Canada in the late 1980’s. After initially studying architecture, he attended the Salisbury School of Art, followed by in-depth studies with the UK’s Michael Chase. His career continued as an award winning multinational art director/creative director, until he decided to move out into the country in order to paint full-time in 2003.
Mike’s work has been shown with success at the Art Gallery of Northumberland, numerous Fine Art Festivals in Ontario – as well as at the McMichael Gallery Autumn Art Sale in Kleinberg, the Ottawa Art Expo, the Tay River Gallery in Perth & Ottawa, and the Robert Macklin Gallery in Kingston.
Mike explains his work by saying, “Moving out to the countryside in Eastern Ontario originally inspired me to begin painting atmospheric contemporary landscapes in acrylics and oils. My intention has been to capture just some of the feeling and drama that rural living engendered – it’s really quite special, and certainly awakened a new sense of awe and respect in one who had, up till relatively recently, largely been an urban dweller.”
