There are extraordinary life lessons all around us; we need only be aware of them.

From my book, An Artist Empowered:

HOLDING THE DOOR OF PERCEPTION

I was in my neighborhood Russian specialty food market looking for a hearty-made bread. I went to pay at the cash register, which was near the front door. As the clerk was putting my bread in a bag and getting my change, an elderly black man and a much younger big Russian fellow arrived at the door at the same moment. The older man held the door open so the younger burly man could enter the shop.

The younger man said in a half-joking manner and in a heavy Russian accent: “Oh, you are holding door for me because you are doorman?”

Without missing a beat, the black man said: “No, I’m holding the door for you because I am a gentleman.”

This was a moment of truth. The gentleman had surpassed intelligent with a reply that could only have come from smart.

Do you see it? Can you hear it? Can you feel it?

With a leap from his awareness, he knew where he stood. He completely and gently reversed the perception of his action to everyone near him. He made an indelible impression I will have with me always, and that is another clue for recognizing smart. While you may forget an intelligent remark, you will never forget a smart one. Smart is from the heart. This is fundamental. It flows from intuition with compassion; intelligence is rooted in intellect, which is calculated through thinking. You can be more intelligent than someone else, but not necessarily smarter than that someone else.

As a species, we were intelligent to invent language and develop civilization. We will have to be smart not to destroy ourselves with the instruments of global annihilation devised by the intellect. We will have to be smart not to destroy what we have created. The more humanity is involved in art, the better our chances are for surviving our intelligence. Rejection loses its grip on you in direct proportion to how smart you are, and how well you have learned to disengage from negativity with grace.

The beauty here is that you can get smarter at any time, which is a function of the soul.

CONNECTING ON A DEEPER INTUITIVE LEVEL

My art-making is based on the physical flow of spontaneous intuition, which involves a remarkable journey. Impulses of energy and information surge down my arm and, through improvisation, I compose visual jazz with line and color. If the art-making is magic, then the art is magic.

What does my painting Free Fall reveal to you? There is no right or wrong answer. Trust your feelings, not the opinion of others, including art critics and so-called experts. Remember, if you see it, then it’s there. Enjoy. Click on the painting for more details.

To get a better feel for the scope and range of my art, please visit my collection of original Fine Art prints: each signed print features museum quality materials, permanent pigment inks, plus acid-free matting that I attach to the artwork using conservation best practices.

To further connect with you, I share more of the inner workings and depth of my art, and exclusive personal insights in my newsletter. Subscribe below and receive a free valuable gift: Ten Tips for Building Self-Confidence.