‘Plein Air’ will be a live-painting performance on a temporary, freestanding wall. It is intended to serve as a studio visit, only instead of inviting the audience into the artist’s workspace, the artist is brought outdoors and into public space.
Ryan Smeeton lives and works in Ottawa. He obtained his Bachelor of Fine Arts from the University of Ottawa in 2011. His most recent work explores the relationship between traditional and contemporary art by bringing urban art perspectives into a studio context, and vise versa.
In his work, Smeeton explores a combination of traditional and non-formal artistic practices by using multiple layers and various painting approaches. He aims to convey emotion and encourage the viewer to focus on the creative process. His work can ultimately be interpreted as a study of the painting process and a meditation on the discourse of painting.