Franz H. Schmidt (1927 - 2009)

Franz H. Schmidt (1927 - 2009) was born in 1927 in Neu-Isenburg, Germany, and has resided in Canada since 1952. A successful importer and designer of Scandinavian furniture, Schmidt found solace in his fine art practice. With a hunger for challenge, Franz H. Schmidt (1927 - 2009) experimented throughout his career with a deep sense of humility as he incorporated influences of the Old Masters and contemporary artists alike to establish his own unique style.

His work offers interesting variations in mixed media, including techniques combining sand or fabric with acrylic, giving paintings rich texture and depth. Frank combined watercolours with a polymer to give permanency to the medium, which would otherwise fade with time. Many of these pictorial expressions are done in watercolour and acrylic. Some of his most remarkable art pieces are those painted in the ‘reverse glass’ technique. Frank also used reclaimed driftwood pieces as a three-dimensional canvas in a playful yet strongly communicative and ofttimes obscure interpretation of Nature. Both the reverse glass pieces and driftwood sculptures are true gems of creativity and talent.

Frank’s paintings conveyed his emotions and his personal philosophy of life and mankind. His work is largely impressionistic. He named this ‘Psychicism,’ allowing the subconscious and visceral feelings to migrate to the conscious mind and express mood, awareness and vibration. The portrayal of human acts and the subsequent results spawned from them is ever present in his artwork. His work always aimed to convey his perspective of the human condition. Thus, the intensity of emotion is evidenced in every piece of art he has produced.

A prolific and dedicated artist, Schmidt produced over 7,000 art pieces throughout his lifetime.

His work has been shown in many solo and group exhibitions since the 1970s, and his art has found its way into many collections in Canada, the United States, and Europe.