From industrial cityscapes to vibrant abstractions, Andy Schmidt’s work bridges technical precision and emotional connection. In this interview, the Hamilton-based artist reflects on his journey from photography to painting, the stories behind his celebrated Blue Skies Over Hamilton series, and the importance of sharing creativity with others.
You are self-taught in painting, but you completed a formal degree in photography. How do these two practices feed into each other in your work?
I find myself utilizing the skills I obtained during my Photography Studies degree quite often. Aside from the technical aspects of capturing a subject and preparing images for print or publication, my photography education really influences how I conceptualize and approach projects. To me, photography involves just as much patience and method as painting does. Both require a keen eye for detail, knowledge of your tools, and a strong vision for what you ultimately want to produce.
What drew you to painting from a young age?
For as long as I can remember I've been obsessed with making art. My parents remember me as a child running out of the bath just to get back to my latest drawing, often forgetting my clothes. My main passion as a boy was animation. "Garfield" creator Jim Davis and animator Preston Blair were gods to me. As I grew older I began experimenting more with colouring methods like watercolour and oil pastel. While in high school, my whole world changed the second I laid down my first brushstroke of oil paint.
Tell us about your Blue Skies Over Hamilton series, where it came from and what it means to you.
I have always championed underdogs and the working class. When I moved here six years ago I was really taken-in not only by the "industrial-charm" seen throughout the city but also by the hardworking people who operate independent businesses here. It's a dramatic city, existing somewhere between being "frozen-in-time" and excelling towards the future. I started creating detailed oil paintings that aimed to focus on some of the local landscapes. After I started sharing them online, I noticed that these paintings meant something to locals who had never seen respect shown to some of these scenes, like a convenience store they visited as kids or the Skyway they drive past every day. There's a lot of unconventional beauty to be found here, and my aim is to showcase it with this series.
Your abstract works seem very different from the rest of your practice. Is it a space for freedom, experimentation, or something deeper?
My abstract work is purely escapism. Originally, these pieces were called "Sisters", and were mixed-media abstracts created with leftover paints from a recent project. They were a way to utilize discarded paint into new works of art. Lately I approach them similarly, but they are much more about creation outside of my more technical painting work. In simpler terms, if my realism painting is sushi, my abstract work is the pickled ginger. I need balance.
You teach painting to children living in family shelters through initiatives like Scribble Me Silly. What does that experience bring you as an artist and as a human being?
I've always believed that any talent or skill should be shared, so when I was approached to teach kids the fundamentals of painting I was incredibly excited. One of the most exciting things to witness in real-time is kids unlocking potential. Although I teach kids ages 6-12, I have seen them create their first paintings that not only astonished me but would easily out-sell my own work in a gallery setting. I wish I was being hyperbolic about this. Seeing talent discovered before your eyes is, to me, better than winning the lottery.
How do you navigate periods when inspiration doesn't come?
Patience is as important to my process as a canvas. My mom instilled that in me as a young boy. It's nothing to be scared of or annoyed-by. If I am short on ideas or inspiration, I simply wait. In that time I take long walks, watch movies, listen to my daughter, and cook. Like many artists, inspiration will find you and there's no need to rush.
Which artists, contemporary or not, have had a decisive influence on you?
When I sit down at a restaurant, I always order a dish I can't make. A lot of my taste in artists takes the same approach. Francis Bacon's paintings rip emotion right out of me; it's an absolutely obsessive body of work that took risks and never compromised. Maud Lewis' work is just something I could never create, but it is so simple and Canadiana that I find myself nostalgic for it. I also have no eye for whimsy, which I love Lewis for. For technical ability I love Frank Netter, a medical illustrator who captured human anatomy in such a concise and respectful manner that I consider him a main inspiration for my series Blue Skies Over Hamilton.
To learn and see more of Andy Schmidt's work: Website & Instagram.
Do you need affordable floating frames for your artworks? The Kolekin frames are the solution!
- Easy assembly at home
- Affordable (but with that gallery look!)
- Free shipping over $50
