BLUE SKIES OVER HAMILTON is an ongoing series of paintings that showcase industrial portraits seen throughout the city of Hamilton, Ontario. Under a bright blue sky, these paintings are meant to act as a single snapshot or moment of Hamilton as it stands today. Being a fairly new resident to the city, Schmidt was taken in by Hamilton's unique industrialized charm, which became the basis for this series. These works intend to bring focus to the raw beauty within Hamilton's working class industries and independently-owned businesses.
Bio:
Andy Schmidt is a Canadian multidisciplenary artist whose work centres on nature, memory, and the urban landscape.
Being a self-taught painter from an early age, Schmidt's work aims to evoke feelings of serenity, stillness, and familiarity. While completing his BFA in Photography Studies from Toronto Metropolitan University in 2013, Schmidt began painting and showcasing his work more frequently, leading to exhibitions and collections both locally and internationally. Outside of his personal work, Schmidt strongly believes in working with local charities and volunteers his time teaching children living in family shelters how to paint through initiatives such as Scribble Me Silly. After leaving Toronto in 2020, Schmidt and his family now live in Hamilton, Ontario, where he continues to explore the city and further develop his ongoing series of paintings Blue Skies Over Hamilton.
