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Artist Crush: Aaron Smith

Wednesday, January 19, 2011 · 11 Comments

I came across Aaron Smith’s uber-painterly work on thisartisyours. The artist lives in LA and teaches at Art Center.

His mesmerizing series “Bearded Blokes” is such a departure from all of the hyper-realist and illustration-y work we come across these days. I am dumb-struck by the richness of his brushwork and vibrant, irreverent palette. For those in NYC, Smith has a solo show featuring “Bearded Blokes” at Sloan Fine Art coming up in June.

.Want to see more? Aaron’s blog Bearded Blokes of the Belle Epoque features bearded men from all walks of life. The blog’s intro reads:

During the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, men often sported spectacular beards and mustaches and dressed with pride and care. This blog is a celebration of the golden era of the masculine mystique.

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And in case you were wondering…

Mr. Smith is a bearded bloke himself.

Tags: Art

11 responses so far ↓

  • 1 Jody Brettkelly // Jan 19, 2011 at 3:26 pm

    Hi nice to meet you. I came to you through KT Blue Designs (Katie). I love your blog. Yes what a great respite from hyper- realism. Very painterly confident strokes and colour. Stunning…We have some paintings of Nicolas Coley who does urban landscapes in a similar style.

  • 2 Madeleine // Jan 19, 2011 at 7:08 pm

    Very similar style to an award-winning Australian artist called Ben Quilty. He does really interesting work that often looks at themes around masculinity http://www.benquilty.com

  • 3 hena tayeb // Jan 20, 2011 at 1:34 am

    gorgeous use of color and textures.

  • 4 Emily // Jan 20, 2011 at 10:39 am

    The colors the contrast, these jump out at me in a way nothing else has in a while. Not jarring but I think you said it perfectly, “vibrant, irreverent .” I really love these, thank you for sharing.

  • 5 Kate // Jan 21, 2011 at 10:07 am

    Hi Jody, very nice to meet you too! So glad to hear you are enjoying Art Hound! I just googled Nicholas Coley and I love his work! I can definitely see strong similarities with Aaron Smith in their approach to color. Thanks for saying hi and for introducing me to an awesome artist! : )

  • 6 Kate // Jan 21, 2011 at 10:33 am

    Madeleine, thanks so much for the astute comparison! I never tire of learning about new (to me) artists! I find the subject of cars and trucks in art to be fascinating!

  • 7 Kate // Jan 21, 2011 at 10:37 am

    hena, the texture is awesome indeed! i just checked out your blog and LOVE your favorite lists! in the last one some of the items look like they could belong in my cute design crushes post!

  • 8 Kate // Jan 21, 2011 at 10:39 am

    Emily, you are very welcome! There is a lot of spirit in the use of color in Aaron’s work. I think that’s another way of describing it. You have a beautiful blog!

  • 9 kaitlyn sullivan // Jan 22, 2011 at 9:29 pm

    thanks for the introduction! his work is beautiful.

  • 10 Kate // Jan 24, 2011 at 12:53 pm

    you’re so welcome, kaitlyn!

  • 11 Pin It Sundays: Art | love your way // Jan 30, 2011 at 10:36 am

    […] “Bearded” from Aaron Smith’s “Bearded Blokes” series found on Art Hound Two: “Night Watch” by artistic duo Dubossarsky Vinogradov found on Kris […]

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