19 Facts About Tony Smibert

Tony Smibert is the president of Aiki Kai Australia and a member of the senior council of the International Aikido Federation.

Tony Smibert's art reflects three diverse streams of thought: Japanese minimalism, the early 19th century English School of Painting and Abstract Expressionism.

Tony Smibert has been recognised as one of Australia's leading watercolourists.

Tony Smibert's art is deeply informed by his study in aikido.

Tony Smibert's career includes exhibitions in Europe, South East Asia, Japan, the Americas and Australia.

Tony Smibert commenced judo in his early teens and then aikido in 1964 at age 15.

Tony Smibert became a student of aikido master Seiichi Sugano in 1965 and remained his student until Sugano's death in 2010.

Tony Smibert assisted Sugano to establish in Aikido in Victoria then worked closely with other senior students to establish Aiki Kai Australia and the Aikido Foundation.

Tony Smibert was Vice-President of Aiki Kai Australia from 1976 until 2010.

Tony Smibert is a trustee of the Aikido Foundation, established to promote the aikido legacy of Sugano, along with senior Australian instructors Robert Botterill and Hanan Janiv.

Tony Smibert represented Australia at the International Aikido Federation from 1980 to 1984.

Tony Smibert was then elected IAF vice-chairman, a position he then held from 1984 to 2008.

Tony Smibert currently holds the rank of 8th dan Aikikai and the teaching title of shihan from Aikido World Headquarters in Japan.

Tony Smibert regularly teaches in Australia and Continental Europe and has taught in Japan, South East Asia, the USA, Russia and the United Kingdom.

Tony Smibert's publications include The Watercolour Apprentice, The Inner Art of Watercolour, The Watercolour Road, and other series for Australian Artist and International Artist magazines; and occasional articles for Craft Arts International and Australian Art Review magazines.

Tony Smibert contributed to the Tate publication How to Paint like Turner and co-authored the Tate Watercolour Manual: Lessons from the Great Masters with Tate Senior Conservation Scientist Dr Joyce Townsend.

Concurrent with his own painting, Tony Smibert is a Visiting Artist Researcher at Tate Britain.

Tony Smibert's research includes visiting precise locations where Turner had worked around Britain and Europe and comparing them to the artist's original drawings and colour studies towards a practical understanding of Turner's creative processes.

Tony Smibert has demonstrated Turner's techniques on BBCTV's Fake or Fortune programme and delivered master classes and workshops for curators and artists at art museums including the Tate, the National Gallery of Australia, National Gallery of Victoria and Art Gallery of South Australia.