Smitty

Name: Michael Smith A.K.A: Smitty Experience: 10+ Years Location: Virginia, U.S.A. Speciality: Lowbrow Art & Kustom Paint Facebook: Smitty’s Custom Bowling Pin Art

As a child, I showed a talent for art and learned the techniques to draw and paint from my mother, who had attended Moore College of Art in Philadelphia. By the time I was in elementary school I was drawing pictures and making my own comic books about creepy monsters, cowboys, boxers, and superheroes for the other children. By the time I was eight years old I was using oil paints on canvas and doing still lifes, landscapes, and even painting people. I never lost interest or passion in artwork, but grew up and worked other jobs after having times been told many times, “You can’t make a living as an artist.” Along with my friends, I enjoyed owning and turning wrenches on multiple classic Kustom hot rods and motorcycles through the years. We always checked out the swap meets for rusty parts to soup up our rides or replace parts that wore out. We would check out the local car shows but I found that those guys spent their time and money on trailered cars that they never cruised or raced, they sat on their lawn chairs, put “do not touch” signs on their windshields, waited to see if they would get a trophy, then drove or trailered their car back home to wipe it off with detailing spray and tuck it away for the next show. Not my idea of a fun time.