Don Swenson is yet another talented and visionary artist featured in this Saturday's Smithville Artwalk, and we were fortunate enough to catch a conversation with him before the big day!
Where are you based?
Hammonton, NJ
How long have you been creating art?
All my life
How would you describe your art?
An exploration of Isolation.
What mediums do you typically use?
Acrylic, watercolor, pencil
How long have you been involved with the Smithville Art Walk?
5 years
Is there a message or feeling you're hoping to express with your art?
I hope that people feel emotionally connected to my art in some way.
I'm so into what you're doing. I love it. You're pretty involved in the community huh? Getting there. (Laughs) It’s been a strange few years, but yeah, it has been great connecting with so many artists. Aside from the obvious looming pandemic, strange how?
I was working in theater until just before the pandemic. I had been painting and doing art shows, like art walk for about 2 years prior as little more than a hobby. Smithville Art Walk was actually the first place I ever really showed my work. When things shut down in 2020, I sort of jumped into the art world with both feet. What else are you into? Are there other creative outlets? Creatively, these days I mostly draw and paint. I still take the occasional theater gig. I write and act. Play a little music. Hell, I used to tap dance back in the day. Actually, most of what I’ve done over the last year and a half has been working on Art Club Hammonton. We’re working on building a community of artists and creating ways to make art accessible and engaging to the community at large. Check out Don's art, as well as an array of other artists and poets at the 10th Anniversary of the Smithville Artwalk!
Visit his website: www.dswensondesign.com
Founded and hosted by Underground since 2011, Smithville Artwalk is a curated biannual gathering of 75 artists celebrating pop and lowbrow art in all forms. But, it's not just an art show - each event features music, entertainment, contests and special guests. Join us for what has become the largest assemblage of proudly off beat artists in Jersey!
For more information on the Smithville Art Walk, visit Smithville Artwalk – The Original Underground