Meet Erik Smith

Today we’d like to introduce you to Erik Smith. 

Erik, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
As a nearby resident of Ann Arbor, Michigan, known for its art festivals, trending music, and creativity, art and music rubbed off on me at a young age. 

As a student in high school, my appreciation of music grew so much that I started learning guitar. I was really into rock music at the time, but I eventually grew more into jazz music. 

Not too long after I graduated, I moved to Atlanta to further pursue my passion for music, where I earned a degree in musical performance at the Atlanta Institute Of Music. 

As my knowledge of music deepened, I found new ways to express myself, from improvisational solos to soothing chord progression that captured the complexities of what I felt ordinary music could not convey. 

Even though I mastered the guitar, I wanted to pursue different means of expression. 

It was in 2018 when I watched a YouTube tutorial about abstract painting and how anyone could do it, so I gave it a try. It wasn’t as easy as the video said, but I was inspired and made quite a few paintings. 

Every stroke brought a new part of me to the surface that I didn’t know before or that I wasn’t fully aware of. Like an improvisational solo, I could make different color palettes; blue, teal, and green if I felt like the ocean; or black, and gray, if that’s how I felt. 

Having grown in confidence, I showed my friends on social media what I could paint. After posting a few more, people soon started taking more interest, leading to some buying my paintings and even commissioning some. 

My inspiration never died down after discovering my new talent. Fast forward to 2021, I went to a show in Detroit at The Irwin House Gallery to check out the exhibition and meet some local artists. 

That led me to joining The Detroit Fine Arts Breakfast Club and they showed me how to be a professional working artist. 

Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way? Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
No, it hasn’t been a smooth road but finding my mentors along the way really helped me answer a lot of questions I had at the time. 

Finding the balance between creating art and running the business side is always tough but after a while it gets easier. 

Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
My work is best described as a visual form of jazz improvisation. I use both familiar and homemade tools to apply and remove paint. The ever-changing color palette allows for direct self-expression. This is the equivalent of improvising in the moment with a live band, capturing the excitement of what happens next. I often take chances that could make or break an entire painting in any given moment. 

Any advice for finding a mentor or networking in general?
For artists looking to network, I recommend finding your local art scene and meeting as many people as you can within the scene. For finding a mentor I would recommend finding somebody who inspires you and reach out to them. 

Contact Info:

• Website: erikpaints.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/erikdoesartthings/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ErikSmithPaintings/

Image Credits
Amanda Koss