Introducing Soon
My Transformational Workshop
starts
A) with a 1:1 Style Critique
then,
if you choose to accept,
B) a Mini-series of easy videos to help you
identify YOUR keys to create
Your AUTHENTIC Styles
and then, If you choose to accept,
C) a 1:1 Mentoring for Selected Painters
to 'Polish Your Authenticity Styles
and let them shine'
PHASE1of 3 Your 1:1 Style Critique: 'Let's Get Personal'
A private critique of 3-10 of your own favourite paintings
Price: $297 (as of January 2026)
GOALS: to help me get to know you and your art and to give you my honest extremely experienced analysis, with a special focus on clues that your paintings reveal to me. These will include hints of style and authenticity and also what your pantings tell me that you know and what you don't know.
If you want your work to take a big and important jump, I'm your guy. I have sold my paintings for several decades, drawn well over 3,000 portraits at Expo 67 and the next year, and at weddings and fund raisers, done many murals, exhibited in Canada, NYC, Paris, and China. I won first prize in Figure Drawing (twice) in the Louvre/Carrousel and have been back as a Jurist. Just before Covid I was the artist in residence on a cruise ship in the mediterranean. But in all honesty I value successes in teaching more than I do with painting. A Princess in Qatar contacted me to give her private art lessons and have I taught art in many places and to all ages and all levels. In addition to my children I consider my students my students are my legacy.
THE PROCESS FOR YOUR CRITIQUE:
1. Contact me by email artist.gary.smith@gmail.com or by phone 416-910-5535.
2 We will introduce ourselves and I will answer any questions you have.
3. If you should choose to share your art experience and have a private experience, objective critique of your paintings -
a) send me your fee by etransfer,
b) email to me 3-10 images of your favourite paintings so I can study ahead of time and then
c) schedule a mutually convenient time for our ZOOM session (which I will record and send a copy to you).
4. In that Zoom meeting I will get to know you and your art and if you are curious I can explain about the upcoming Authentic Style project. You will be able to determine whether I would be a good choice for your mentor. Do I listen and understand. Am I qualified as an Art Mentor and Artist? Do I communicate well and not hold back the secret ingredients? Do you feel comfortable with me? etc. These are important personal issues. By the end of our session, you will be able to tell me whether my project would be of value to you and whether there are specific components that you would like me to cover. We will discuss your art goals and even if there was one single thing that you could change about your art, that would make a major difference, what would that be?
If you are still curious about me and my artist adventures and successes, feel free to explore this website www.GentleArtMentor.com even though it is not yet completed it does show quite a few of my paintings and samples of student work who wanted the more classical training. You will notice how much variety I enjoy doing. The classical stream is just one area of my teaching.
PHASE 2: UNLOCKING YOUR AUTHENTIC STYLE(S)
$1,200 but more than $50% off for this enhanced 2026 version at only $497
Included: 6 weeks, 12 short easy videos, and 12 Group Zoom sessions and a shared private online Art Style Journal for you and I to record and communicate this transformational experience.
The mission of Phase 2, should you choose to accept it, is to help you discover your personal key visual preferences within 6 weeks. you most likely already know your favourite media (pencil, charcoal, watercolours, acrylics, oils, etc.), your favourite genres, topics, colours, and styles of other artists you have learned frm their workshops, etc. - all the obvious external factors. Knowing and prioritizing VPs (Visual Preferences) will be your keys to create styles that are authentic to you.
These final internal insights are often a mystery and a huge challenge for most artists but it is so important not only for your own satisfaction but also to make your paintings that are identifiable as yours and more powerful so it could attract galleries and collectors.
If you are interested in finding out more, please start with the above Art Critique asap, because I want to limit the first group to 9 or fewer and to offer a $603 discount so this first run will be priced at only $497
Please note that you will have full access to these videos for a full year and that because the videos are not sequential, you can take holidays and watch them later. Moreover there will be a bonus upon completion.
PHASE #: YOUR STYLE MENTORSHIP
You would experiment making authentic styles using what you have uncovered from Phase 2. Once a week you and I will connect to review your early explorations and for me to show you how to clarify and empower your styles.
This will be 1:1 mentoring so at $200/week the price is $1,200.
ADDED BONUS:
The added bonus for completing all three phases is a three page web presence on our group website. Page 1 will be your 'before and after' artwork plus your personal evaluation of the project. Page 2 will be yours to display your work. I can provide a gallery template but you will add or delete your artwork. Page 3 will be a sales page for people to purchase or rent your artwork if you wish. This would be available for at least 3 years totally free of hosting fees or sales commissions.
Periodically I can arrange online group exhibitions for myself and other the artists to participate in if they wish.
Gary Smith, at 416-910-5535
This might well be your most significant art development project.
I have been told so by former students who have taken a much
earlier version of this project.