Dennis K. Smith
President

www.dksstudiogallery.com    
www.arawindsor.com

Dennis has helped shape a whole generation of artists through his teaching and mentorship. His impact runs deep — not just through his own paintings, but through all the people he’s helped believe in theirs. He enjoys encouraging and motivating fellow artists to follow their visions, trust their abilities and to be courageous enough to paint a sky red when they know it’s blue and above all, to let their work identify who they are. He has exhibited in numerous juried group and solo shows and exhibitions. Smith has dedicated his decades-long career to the pursuit of beauty and honesty. 

---

Smith, who resides in LaSalle, Ontario. He is known for his ability to find inspiration for paintings even in the humblest scenes. Dennis works to capture the story within his subjects in the hope of evoking those conversations of which art has the power to awaken within us. Smith is a painter, educator, and Co-Founder of the Artists of Colour.  His artworks are deeply rooted in colour and light, with expressive brushwork that exudes life and energy within his works. Music plays a huge part in his painting process. If his artistic endeavours could be characterized in vocal styling terminology, he would consider himself a "crooner." This ironic term denotes a singer who delivers his song in a quiet, sentimental, and honest manner. Dennis’s work has been noted for conveying a sense of calm that causes one to stop and connect with the painting's subject. Art for Smith must reflect the artist's inherent nature. Smith believes that when the artist attains a heightened knowledge of his subjects, is when they will achieve a genuine understanding which is necessary for authentic artistic expression and communicating shared experiences. One of his most memorable lessons came from high school art Teacher Bert Weir, who placed a single brick in front of him and asked, “What’s its story? What has it seen?” That moment changed the way Dennis thought about art — not as a technical exercise, but as a gateway to wonder. 

The Drummer In Red