Since I teach part-time at Bermuda College, I usually avoid writing about student exhibitions. After all, these shows have usually been created by my students. It would be inappropriate and a conflict of interest for me to write a review about exhibitions that I have had a hand in creating.

There is presently, however, an exhibition in the College Art Gallery that I can write about, as this student has never taken any of my classes nor did I even meet him until he was hanging his exhibition, a few days ago. Additionally, I want to write about this exhibition, for I see in this young artist, a considerable artistic maturity and consistency of style. This is one student in particular, that should be encouraged and supported.

The student I refer to is Calix Smith. The show consists of 12 drawings and paintings, many in charcoal.

Furthermore, most deal with a particular social issue, that of the plight of the young black male. Moreover, Calix Smith seems to have a natural sense of style and design, not to mention considerable drawing skills. It is not unknown here in Bermuda to find such a focused art student, but is unusual. Given the opportunity for further education, Calix Smith can go far and achieve much that will do us proud.

Calix Smith, even when painting, tends to approach his subject, more as a draughtsman than anything else. By that, I mean he, even when painting, does so as if drawing. Even his paintings resemble drawings. Most are in black and white with, at times, the introduction of a small amount of colour. There is, however, one painting that is mostly variations in colours and created in a more expressive mode. I refer to the first painting on the left wall, at the entrance to the show. It is called "The Climax."

After my recent introduction with Mr Smith, I asked him to tell me something about his educational and artistic background. After attending CedarBridge Academy, he was a student at an aeronautical school in Melbourne, Florida, but somehow his interests in art eventually won out and right now he is developing a portfolio, so that he might be able to set his sights on attending an overseas art college.

I understand from one of his instructors that he is a keen student and that whenever an artist of some standing is mentioned, he makes note of the name and then researches what this artist has achieved. I thought I saw in a number of his drawing the influence of Keith Herring, a well-known New York graffiti artist. In another I was reminded of the work of Cy Twombly, an artist often associated with the New York Abstract Expressionists, but whose work shows calligraphic, even graffiti tendencies.

n This show continues through graduation week. The actual graduation is May 21.