Gossip Bird Painting

Matt Smiley, a multi-faceted artist and filmmaker. He is known for his colorful paintings with compelling themes, achieved through a process of automatic writings and characters. He directed Highway of Tears (Netflix), a documentary film based on the missing women along Highway 16 in northern British Columbia. The documentary was narrated by international television star Nathan Fillion (“Castle”). The film premiered in March 2014 at TIFF Human Rights Watch Film Festival. It screened all over North America, garnering national acclaim and multiple awards. Shedding light on the government’s treatment of aboriginal communities and the media’s disregard for their plight. "Highway of Tears" was picked up by various schools, Universities and is now being developed into a network television series. In 2017, he launched his first official solo art show “Dreams Fizzle into Space”, featuring a 32-piece Warholian “Smiley” Soup Can collection. Following the success of his show, Smiley was invited to present his collection at the Aspen Institute. He has supported various charities, including Human Rights Watch, UNICEF, Race to Erase, Phase One, Wearable Arts and LIFT Communities with fellow artists, Ed Ruscha, Kenny Scharf, Shepard Fairey (obey), Sam Durant, Nicholas Pilato, Michael Muller, Sage Vaughn and Gary Baseman. In 2018, Smiley showcased “Lessons in History” at the LA Art Show, followed by The Other Art Fair Presented by Saatchi Art in Brooklyn. He was also commissioned by The Bloc to paint a mural which he coined “The Blocs of Love”, a heavily Instagrammed piece in the courtyard of the Sheraton Grand Hotel and the Macy’s Plaza. He then presented his second solo exhibit “Dear Diary…” in Hollywood. His last exhibit was at the iconic Mondrian Hotel in Los Angeles for their relaunch. In early 2019, Smiley embarked on a national documentary project focused on Indigenous Child Welfare in Canada, entitled “For Love”, to be released later this year. Smiley's artwork is represented by Denis Bloch Fine Art in Beverly Hills.