A Seat with Joshua Smith

By Art Series Hotels
29th May 2019

Art in Micro featured artist Joshua Smith (@joshua_smith_street_artist) takes some time to enlighten us on his journey with all things small. 

What was your first miniature artwork?

My first miniature was creating a work entitled the Black Shadow Trading Company that was based on a building in Haymarket in Sydney's Chinatown district. Not only was it the first miniature artwork but also the first one to have interior detail as well as working lights.

Where did early inspirations come from?

Early inspirations came from the decayed and forgotten buildings in Adelaide and Melbourne as well as the graffiti found in both cities. There was something about the grime and decay that I found beautiful.

How long does one of your works take to create?

Generally, one of my miniature buildings takes anywhere from 3-6 weeks from research to final details depending on the size, scale and detail of the work. My latest miniature which is of a photo booth on Chapel Street in South Yarra took me around 6 weeks to complete from research to completion due to the detail involved with creating the work.

What tools do you use?

A variety of tools and methods are used in creating my work everything from brushes and paint to spray paint, glue, my computer and design programs. It is a bit of everything.

Has your practice changed over time?

I am self-taught and am constantly learning new, better and quicker ways of doing things. With most builds though I am constantly experimenting and trying new things for example with one of my recent works for the Urban Art Fair in Paris I tried working with resin for the first time to create a water type effect for puddles. Much experimentation was done to achieve the desired effect before applying it to the final miniature.

What's your favourite work?

I have a few. Currently it is the Chapel Street photo booth due to the amount of attention to detail I created for it but overall my favourite would have to be either the Olympia Milk Bar or my Temple Street miniature.

Have you always wanted to be an artist?

Ever since I was a child I always wanted to be an artist. From a very young age I was always creating, building and drawing which extended into my teenage years and as an adult.

Once I left high school I went straight into University to study Graphic Design but quickly found that wasn't for me. I spent years exhibiting as a Stencil Artist before running my own art gallery for a number of years before starting work on the miniatures which is where my career really took off.

If sky was the limit, what's your dream project?

I would love to make an accurate miniature of the infamous Kowloon Walled City or the old Mill in Port Adelaide. I see so many buildings I want to create in miniature the trick is finding the time to build them all!

Book now to explore Joshua Smith's incredible works until 31 July 2019 at all participating Art Series locations.