Peter Smets is the man of the moment in the Australian art world. He is the country’s young Old Master. For this exquisite example of his eloquent and highly finessed painting style, it is the old master he has most assiduously emulated. If bright is a thing, he has the advantage early of being born in Holland, home of he Great Dutch master such as Pieter de Hooch, Frans Hals, Jan Syeen, Vermeer and Rembrant.
Smets was born in Koningslust in The Netherlands in 1962 and the talented lad was able to embark upon a fine arts course at the Maastricht Art School when he was a mere 16 years old. For two years, he specialised in drawing under Gerard Coenen before moving on for two years of studying colour under Rhein Van Poortvlied, followed by another two years studying still life and portraiture under the distinguished still live exponent, the late Jan Everson. Meanwhile, in this intensive education in the finest of fine art, young Smets did a couple more years studying traditional realism under Jan Trepels and then, living the dream of so many of Australia’s artists since colonial days, he did a study tour of the major art centres of Europe looking at the techniques of the Old Masters.
After that, in 1986, he migrated to Australia. But still the artist wanted to know more, to finesse his art yet more. So in 1999 he went to Basel, Switzerland to further study the techniques of the 17th Century masters and then, albeit already becoming an established artist in Australia, he took yet another tour to study old-master techniques in the major art centre of Europe in 2008. It is hard to imagine a more learned painter in this country than Peter Smets.
Beyond the prodigious technical precision and the cultural implications of the constructed world he portrays, Peter Smets’ images invite further contemplation. In them we sense the slippage between civic and private reality – that interface where the personal touches on the universal.
Solo Exhibitions
2021 – In the Shadow – Anthea Polson Art, Gold Coast
2019 – Obsolete – Anthea Polson Art, Gold Coast
2017 – Men at Work – Anthea Polson Art, Gold Coast
2015 – Moonlighter – Anthea Polson Art, Gold Coast
2014 – In the Spot Light – Anthea Polson Art, Gold Coast
2012 – Movement and Progress – Anthea Polson Art, Gold Coast
2012 – Supervision Harrison Galleries, Sydney
2010 – Harrison Galleries, Sydney
2010 – Constructive View Point – Anthea Polson Art, Gold Coast
2009 – Axia Modern Art, Melbourne
2008 – Men at Work – Constructions – Art Galleries Schubert, Gold Coast
2007 – Dewards Fine Art Gallery, Brisbane
2006 – Richard Martin Art, Sydney
2005 – Richard Martin Art, Sydney
Group Exhibitions
2019 – Tattersall’s Club Landscape Art Prize Brisbane (Invitation only)
2018 – Tattersall’s Club Landscape Art Prize Brisbane (Invitation only)
2017 – Tattersall’s Club Landscape Art Prize, Brisbane (Invitation only), People Choice Awar
2016 – Paddington Art Prize, Sydney
2015 – Mosman Art Prize, NSW
2014 – The Wynne Prize, AGNSW
2014 – Tattersall’s Club Landscape Art Prize, Brisbane (Invitation only)
2013 – Gold Coast Art Prize, Gold Coast City Art Gallery
2013 – Tattersall’s Club Landscape Art Prize, Brisbane (Invitation only)
2013 – Salon Des Refuses, S.H. Ervin Gallery, NSW
2012 – Sulman Art Prize AGNSW
2011 – Winner People’s Choice Award, the Stan and Maureen Duke Prize, Gold Coast City Art Gallery
2011 – 8 Days Before Christmas Our Artists’ Special Christnas Show, Anthea Polson Art
2011 – Face Up, Gold Coast City Art Gallery
2011 – Salon Des Refuses, S.H. Ervin Gallery, NSW
2011 – Tattersall’s Club Landscape Art Prize, Brisbane (Invitation only)
2010 – Tattersall’s Club Landscape Art Prize, Brisbane (Invitation only)
2010 – Axia Modern Art, Melbourne
2009 – The Wynne Prize, AGNSW
2009 – Sulman Art Prize, AGNSW
2009 – Prometheus Visual Art Award, Gold Coast
2008 – Tattersall’s Club Landscape Art Prize, Brisbane
2007 – Stan and Maureen Duke Art Prize, Gold Coast City Art Gallery
2007 – Tattersall’s Club Landscape Art Prize, Brisbane
2007 – Prometheus Visual Art Award, Gold Coast City Art Gallery
2006 – Tattersall’s Club Landscape Art Prize, Brisbane (Members Vote Award))
2006 – Doug Moran National Portrait Prize
2005 – Tattersall’s Club Landscape Art Prize, Brisbane
2004 – Tattersall’s Club Landscape Art Prize, Brisbane (Members Vote Award)
2004 – Conrad Jupiter Art Award, Gold Coast City Art Gallery
2003 – Salon Des Refuses, S.H. Ervin Gallery, NSW
2003 – Conrad Jupiter Art Award, Gold Coast City Art Gallery
2001 – The Konami & South Tweed Realist Landscape
2000 – Pine Rivers Art Award, Brisbane
2000 – Redland Art Award, Brisbane