GARY SMITH, UEL gary@escapewithgary.com
Former Vice-Chairman, Artists’ Network
Member of Portrait Society of America
I have done well over 2,000 energetic, expressive portraits that are of interest even to viewers who do not know the subject.
Commissions include: portraits, (including genealogical portraits), pet portraits and murals. In the summer of 2007 I painted a 100 foot mural 250 feet above the ocean in St. John’s, NL and received excellent coverage by TV, Radio and newspaper.
I am especially proud of ‘Light of the Rebbe’, the largest painting in any synagogue, completed in Toronto in 2001 honouring the world famous religious leader, Rebbe Menachem Schneerson.
For a Riverdale Art Walk I painted a portrait of Riverdale’s oldest living citizen, Mary Dobell, who was 102 when I painted her. The newspaper coverage of its presentation to her was very moving and subsequently the City of Toronto borrowed that painting for an historical Art Exhibition at the St. Lawrence Gallery.
Teaching drawing and painting is a great pleasure for me. Currently I teach at LucSculpture School & Studios, at my own CLUB DRAW (Life Drawing) and privately in artists’ studios or over the internet.
Recent Highlights
2011 Corktown Gateway mural………………………………..’The Oldest and the Newest’
2011 I invented Urban Flash Mob Painting…………………which created lots of Good Will and positive press
2011 Featured artist re:…………………………………………….My Jury includes feedback to the artists
2011 LucSculpure show and event…………………………….’DUEL of 2 Master Portrait Artists’
2010 Escapewithgary……………………………………………….Bretagne, France
2010 Jimmy Simpson Park, juried, RAW…………………..’Bonjour Bretagne’
2009 John A. Libby Art Gallery……………………………….‘Winter Show
2009 John A. Libby Art Gallery……………………………….‘Favourite Collection
2009 John A. Libby Art Gallery……………………………….‘Gallery Artists
2009 ACT (Artists Career Training in California)……….Appointed me Feature Artist
2009 Hangman Gallery……………………………………………’ 2Walls~4Artists
2008 John A. Libby Art Gallery………………………………..‘30th Anniversary Celebration’
2008 Jimmy Simpson Park, RAW……………………………..’Welcome to My Neighbourhood”\’
2008 LS3……………………………………………………………….‘Local Wildlife’ (50 faces)
2007 Artist Workshops in St. John’s, Nfld…………………..’Admiral’s Adventure’
2007 City of St. Johns, Nfld., 95 ft. mural ………………‘1892 from the Narrows’
2007 F’Coffee, RAW……………………………………………….‘Tent City’
2007 John A. Libby Gallery, group show……………………‘Celebrate Toronto’
2007 The Rectory Café, Toronto Islands……………………..‘Island Paintings’
2006 The Rectory Café, Toronto Islands,group show……..Fake School of Art
2006 Fusilli, solo show……………………………………………..‘Still Lifes’
2006 De grassi House, solo show……………………………….‘Publicans’
2005 BMW, group show……………………………………………The Little Art Show,
2005 The Dominion On Queen, solo show………………….’The Neighbourhood’
2005 Hang Man Gallery…………………………………………….‘Bottoms Up’
2005 De Grassi House ……………………………………………..‘People are Worth Remembering’
2004 BMW, juried group show…………………………………..’The Little Art Show’
2004 RAW juried show ………………………………………….‘People 100 Years Ago in Riverdale’
2004 Market Gallery, by invitation …………………………….‘History of Riverdale’
2004 The Annex Show……………………………………………….Historical Portraits
2004 John B. Aird Gallery, juried show………………………..Drawing 2004
2003 The Granite Club, mural (shown above)………………’Curling’
2003 BMW, juried group show……………………………………’The Little Art Show’
2002 King David’s, mural………………………………………….‘Old City’
2001 Chabad@Flamingo, Historical Portrait……………….’Light of the Rebbe’
Web sites: www.escapewithgary.com
http://www.flickr.com/photos/47002446@N00/
Galleries My work is represented by the John A. Libby Gallery (Toronto)/ Hang Man Gallery/ Gallery on The Bay (Hamilton)
Associations Artists’ NETWORK as Vice-Chairman/ Portrait Society of America/ The Fake Art School
Education: BFA, University of Guelph /Art Supervisor, London Teachers’ College /Art Academy of Canada.
—————————————————————————–
Links to other web references