In the Neighborhood: Bert Smith

 

"Now I lay me down to sleep, I pray the lord my soul to keep, if I die before I wake I pray the lord my soul to take. "

A well-known childhood prayer, and one with a very special meaning to Bert Smith. 

Bert lives just north of Easton, on North Delaware Drive. These days, he's an artist. Twenty-two years ago, he was a heavy equipment operator. On July 18, 1988, he was driving a dump truck when a faulty catalytic convertor caused the cab to fill with fumes. He passed out, and the resulting crash crushed every bone in his face. His doctors didn't expect him to survive.

But he's survived the crash. And the 35 surgeries that followed it.

Bert attributes his love of art and his deep love of his mother to his full recovery.  To get through his surgeries he adopted a very personal spiritual practice before each operation.

Prior to each surgery, he'd go into his studio, and create a new work of art. His studio is a work-of-art by itself, a colorful, dynamic, creative workshop. To surround his oasis he created a massive wooden piece of art, which serves as a fence around his property.

Circles are recurring theme in his works, representing Bert's favorite quote. "Life goes around you; you do not go around life".  

Looking at him, he appears a healthy, well-put-together, thriving man.  You'll find him most mornings at on Northampton Street, where his work is on display. He's a well-known figure there, the Norm to the coffeeshop's Cheers, only with a better outlook.

 His art connects him to something bigger. Each night, he says that prayer. "Now I lay me down to sleep…"

 Despite its reference to death, he doesn't see it as a morbid prayer.

 "I do not fear death not one bit," he says. Bert says that there is something better out there, he was witness to it.

 In the Neighborhood is an occasional series profiling the people of Easton. Know someone who's got a good story? Let us know: tom.coombe@patch.com