WHAT do bright colours, Robin Williams and Biggie Smalls have in common?
They all feature in the first exhibition from the paint brush of Aidan Lee Smith.
Familiar faces and a bold palette lure the eye in the upcoming display from the Cowaramup resident.
Formerly a student of law and world traveller, Smith settled in the South West four years ago.
Never intending to be an artist, the gift of paint from a friend led Smith on the upward spiral into his current project which is set to adorn the walls of Smithereens Café in Cowaramup.
“I turned 30 and I thought I’d actually do something I love before I die,” Smith said.
Strong, reassured brushstrokes create the images, containing contrasting moods and expressing the highs and lows of time with background music utilised to fuel the works.
It took six weeks to create the series with Smith saying he became feverish in his creation of the images.
“I’ve never had something take me over so much,” Smith said.
It was the work of Austrian artist Voka that drove Smith into his experimentation with loose brushwork and colour.
The influence is clear in Smith’s work as he creates colourful portrait paintings in the vein of spontaneous realism.
The term was coined by Voka to describe the creation of an image in a short space of time with great use of dynamics and colour.
Amy Winehouse, Sean Connery, Iggy Pop and even former super-model Twiggy have been treated with Smiths interpretation of the style, with each character’s story being represented through his use of line and ability to fade colour from bright to subtle to reflect personality and mood.
With intriguing projects planned for the future, none of which he can reveal just yet, Smith said to head along to his exhibition to experience a taste of what he had planned for the ‘bustling metropolis of cowtown’.
“I want it to be a celebration; it’s going to be fun,” Smith said.
Smith wished to thank McHenry Hohnen, Young Henrys and Smithereens Cafe for their support of his exhibition.
The exhibition will run from May 10.
For more information or for an insight into Smith’s work, visit his facebook page or email aidan_lee_smith@hotmail.com.
