Artist Bio

As a creative young man, Blu began his career immortalizing NHL goalies and the heavy metal band Kiss by drawing each jersey, jewel and mask with precise detail. His adoration for accuracy during this period provided Gene Simons with well proportioned 9” platformed boots set off by Ace Frehley’s smoking guitar.

Blu further began developing his skills while attending the Fine Arts program at Okanagan College from 1988-89. Shortly after graduating from the University of Victoria, Blu began his largest period of growth and direction. Over the next 5 years he began to break through the constraints of finite form and precision into the freedom of abstract painting.

As Blu’s thick brush strokes covered the canvas, all linear forms began to blur creating texture, vibrance and emotion. Sometimes three, sometimes five pieces are all at once coming to life, stating only what the artist has truly experienced. Blu Smith’s style, ability and power, whether in a private collection or a commissioned piece, stand alone as they push through all artistic boundaries. Each year his style evolves into a new form displaying mood, motive and commitment to his work. His evolution has been affected by many travels through Europe, seeing great sculptures and new raw works by contemporary artists and great masters. One artist stands in influence as a mentor and motivator, Mark Rothko. Having studied great artists whether famous or infamous, Blu has developed his own styling through world travels and life journeys.

In November 1993 Blu entered the art world as a serious painter with a solo show at the Pop Gallery in Vancouver, B.C. Ever since then he has shown as far across Canada as the Crescent Hill Gallery in Toronto. Not intimidated by size; scale draws him to produce as large as 6 x 30 feet seen in his private collections. Blu has shown in over 14 exhibitions over the past 15 years, with each carving out his future as a successful abstract artist. To date, Blu’s body of work consists in excess of 500 catalogued pieces.

Education 1991-93 • Bachelor of Fine Arts, University of Victoria 1988-89 • Diploma of Fine Arts, Okanogan College View list of current and previous shows >>