b'Richard C. SmithBorn in Kent, in the South of England, other than for short periods at variouspoints in his life, Smith never really ventured far from his native county. I feelat home, deep down in Kent, he confides, especially near the sea. I supposeit is a bit special. His story is one of ultimate triumph of the creative urge inthe face of what he refers to as its systematic burying, first by teachers andthen by the authorities, as well as its dimming and suppression by drug usefor many years. He had drawn for as long as he can remember, even continu-ing to dabble, as he puts it, during the fallow years. Then, around the age offorty, things began to change. He made a choice to engage directly once morewith life as it had been when he was young, born of a realisation that therewas a seed of something creative inside. The intuition was strong and de-manded attention. And, gradually, over about a decade, and much to his ownamazement, he found himself devoted entirely to art. I like to work in day-light, he says, I shut off after that. Occasionally I draw under electric light,but the drawings look totally different the day after. I cant get the same tense-ness with the false light. He works every day, rising around 5am, eats break-fast and looks at his works in progress: The figures are sort of beckoning me:come on, finish your breakfast, and get on with me, he smiles.Colin RhodesMarch 2014Professor Colin Rhodes is Dean of Sydney College of the Arts, University of Sydneyand author of Outsider Art: Spontaneous Alternatives15'