His show "Que Vive El Concepto" or "Long Live the Concept" deals with the social commentary both on our shores and those as far away as Sudan's Darfur conflict.

Mr. Smith's aim is to make people think about the issues that affect us, and others.

"I have been into art all my life and it started off when I would ask my dad to do pictures for me and then I'd take them to school and tell everyone else that I had did them," he said of his start.

"Then I would have to prove myself in school when kids would say, 'draw this for me'. So now it has developed into something that I am really proud of."

At a time when many young Bermudians are becoming accountants or actuaries, we wondered whether he had his family's support in his decision to pursue an associate's degree in art and design at the Bermuda College.

He answered: "I've always had my parent's support in whatever I do; they wanted something more practical for me like what you have given as an example, at first it took a while for it to sink in.

"They were like, 'You want to be an artist, you don't want to be a graphic designer, you don't want to be an architect, you want to be an artist in a studio all day creating', and that is exactly what it is.

"But I think that this show debuted at the College, they really understood the seriousness of it. We need that, we need the arts, and it is not just painting or studio artists, I feel this is a way that Bermuda can showcase itself globally.

"Because cricket ain't working out well for us, so we can take the mantle."

On the matter of his subject, one had to ask whether it was inspired by personal experience.

"All my work is based on life and when I work on pieces or come up with a concept I never think about art.

"I can't even quote Jean-Michel Basquiat;<$> I just think about life. I've been influenced by so much, whether directly or indirectly through people's lives, family and from all over the world. Everyone who is in my life is pretty much in my art.

"I may not tell them, but it is the truth."

On whether his aim was to uplift the black male, he clarified it by saying: "Generally that is a part of it, but mostly my work is social commentary. What I want to do is to raise an awareness or to start a conversation.

"For instance I have a piece on the Tucker's Town incident and it is directly in your face, but it is something that I want people to talk about, because as Bermudians it is something that we don't talk about. We might talk in our little circles, but with the big discussion, this is something that came around.

"It is also what I read or see on TV, like I saw a documentary on Darfur and it really moved me to see people displaced, not even necessarily being killed off.

"I feel as artists, we should take up that mantle to speak on what you believe in or to speak out against certain things that you don't necessarily like. I don't think that art should be limited to landscapes and technical skill."

With that in mind, he was touched by the diversity of the Charman Prize 2009.

"I was just moved by the content, because it was not generic of what we sell as artists in Bermuda," he said. "So it was nice to see that people have voices outside of papa and son go fishing or a woman braiding her hair."

Remembering that artist Sharon Wilson captures these images, he further explained: "I'm a big fan of Sharon Wilson's work mind you, but I just feel that there should be parallels, you should be able to talk about the bad and talk about the good.

"I think that Sharon Wilson's art is a positive side of black life in Bermuda and that is wonderful. She inspired me and was actually my teacher at Sandys Secondary.

"For me it is about raising awareness of things that I think should be talked about."

The show is pretty much a replica of his Bermuda College Year End Show, but he will debut a new piece. "Although it doesn't have a title yet, it has the name Bermuda, which is almost fractured in a sense, so the look of it will almost be like shattered glass, because that is how the Island is carrying itself right now.

"Not just what you are seeing in the media, but when you walk around neighbourhoods, it is a totally different swing - it is a real new Jack swing in Bermuda nowadays.

"And I don't understand, because we have always been about love, but it seems that everything that is dominating the headlines is so far from what a Bermudian essentially is, is a humble, kind and hospitable person and you don't see that anymore.

"This is so out of the norm, I mean if I take a trip to New York, I expect that. But I miss that about Bermuda, I miss the good natured part of the Island, we're not being that way anymore.

"There are people who are still doing the right thing, but it's what is dominating the headlines and everyone acting out."

On his view of himself as a young black male who is educating himself and his thoughts on what others can take from it, Mr. Smith said: "I'm more of the shy type, but in my art class I just look around and I just feel that there is so much potential for the Island.

"There are limited resources in as far as the art department is concerned, and sometimes people don't take you as seriously as you would want them to. So when you say, 'I'm an artist,' they say, 'Oh you draw.'

"When I see these guys with their dreams and aspirations, I wish that I had them at their age, so I think it is really nice and also that the young people on this Island have a lot to offer and I think it is a minority that are doing bad and a majority that are doing good.

"What I see up the College is that there are children that are like minded in as far as goals. I feel like the Island is in good shape, it is about passing the torch, but you just have to nurture it."

To further explain his idea of nurturing, the youngster added: "To generalise in as far as the arts are concerned, put some money into it, like really I always talk about the cricket and the football, but just because you have put these millions of dollars into it, but it's like putting money into being mediocre.

"And I feel that when it comes to the arts, it's so much talent, it's an abundance of talent on this Island. Like I have a friend he's a musician, he's singing and he is always in the studio and he is trying to get his songs out there, but being a local artist he can't because they want to play all the stuff that is from abroad and what not.

"But you have to nurture that talent, whether it is just funding it or giving opportunities for young people to showcase it.

"I see a young boy who goes to Saltus and he is on Oprah's website right now (Nashon Hollis), I respect his parents for saying, you know we might have something here and they have nurtured that, because I think we are all artists when we are young. It's whether we stick with it or not. Art is a very good developmental tool, no matter if you like it or not. I just wish that they would put the money into it, as I feel like we have stars here.

"It doesn't matter to size of the Island."

In addition, Mr. Smith touched on Hott 107.5 fm's morning show presenter Thaao Dill's comment.

"I read the other day that Thaao said that there isn't enough local artists of any good quality, but at the same time in order for people to get better, you have to nurture the talent.

"I know I go on about football getting the money, but it is also about Bermuda finding out what its niche is, because every country cannot be a great footballing country. I read about Peter Bromby and he is one of the Island's greatest sportsmen, he doesn't kick a ball, he's in a boat and there are children who do that. And we also have the world's number one in raquetball, and that is a lot to be said, but we don't see that. We have to take pride in those things, maybe it seems miniscule to you, but those sports have a loyal fan base. I don't understand why people in Bermuda could be so opposed to art, when Bermuda itself is art. I really don't understand. I mean I wake up every morning and I wouldn't want to be any other place.

"I don't know of any other place where you can pick up just about anywhere and you are in paradise literally."

When it was suggested that there are so many artistic inmates, perhaps money would be better spent by supporting arts before funding a prison sentence, his thoughts were: "I think that the focus is on the analytical skills, but not everyone thinks on that side of the brain.

"I think on the right side of my brain, and everything is so creative and you have people like that."

As a student, he would sit in class and doodle on a piece of paper.

"I sat next to people who could draw, as good if not better than me. I talk to guys everyday who say, 'Yeah man, I wish I could still draw', but I say get a piece of paper, get some charcoal and see where it takes you.

"Because there are people on this Island who really love this stuff."

Art is accessible to everybody, he said.

"It is not just for the guy who works for the Fortune 500 Company or a doctorate in this or that. Art is for everybody."

The show opens on Monday, July 6 from 5.30 p.m. to 7.30 p.m. and is up until September 30.

The Ace Gallery, Ace Building, 17 Woodbourne Avenue, Hamilton is open weekdays from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Groups should call for an appointment 295-5200.