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.