Forging Connections with Interesting People: “Ask Art” on Bedford TV

The opening credit screen for Art Smith’s program on Bedford TV, “Ask Art” – Courtesy image, 2017 all rights reserved

By Dot Bergin

The Bedford Citizen recently sat down with Art Smith, long time Bedford resident and host of the bi-weekly Ask Art program on Bedford TV, to ask a few questions of our own:

The Citizen: How did you come up with the idea for this series?

Art: I’m a long-time Bedford resident – have lived in town since 1942 – and I’ve been on many town boards: Planning, Conservation Commission, Zoning Board of Appeals (currently serving on that); I’ve been a designer, construction company owner, and – just to top it off – I have a master’s degree in counseling psychology from Lesley University. I’m a “townie” and oftentimes, people I meet on the street will ask me questions about town affairs – maybe a question on zoning, building codes, stuff like that. So I thought I’d like to develop a TV program, called Ask Art.

The Citizen: When did the series first air on Bedford TV?

Art: In 2015 I did a series of 10 half-hour episodes, with co-host Christine Pinney. We talked with a variety of people – just a casual, sit-down-around-the-table exchange of ideas. As a builder, I’ve always been interested in how things fit together and how people connect. My first shows were more about home design and construction and town building rules and regulations. Listeners sent questions to the studio and we came up with the answers, based on our own knowledge or our research. Then I took a year off to think about what I really wanted to accomplish with Ask Art. I believe I now have a clear direction.

The Citizen: And how is that direction evolving?

Art: I want to have a conversation with as many folks as possible about the line between what is real and what has been made up, no matter the field of endeavor. Over the next few months, I’m inviting folks I consider of like mind to talk with me on a wide range of topics, with the goal of bringing a positive connection regardless of party, gender, race, religion, and preference.

My recent guests have been Jacquelin Apsler, Executive Director, Domestic Violence Services Network, Inc., the Rev. John Gibbons, Senior Minister, First Parish in Bedford, who spoke about the congregation’s commitment to the principles of Sanctuary, and Town Historian Sharon MacDonald, who enlivened our show with a couple of songs!

The Citizen: I believe you are veering away from the more mundane topics of home design and town by-laws into deeper waters.

Art: Yes, I am deeply concerned about the state of our nation and the “rage” component in our dealings with each other. I’m fascinated with rage – rage-based sexism and racism, the rage coming out of the White House today and what I see as hate-based behavior in society. I’m interested in exploring rage within my own self. In my July 11 conversation with Jacquelin Apsler we talked about some role playing I did in one of her training sessions that revealed a lot to me about myself.

My next guest on August 22 is Chris Laskey, Bedford’s Code Enforcement Director. You might ask how rage fits in here – I think what sometimes happens at the zoning enforcement counter could be a subdued version of hatred called resentment. This feeling often occurs at the perceived intrusion on a resident’s notion of what he or she could do on their own property in the face of zoning bylaws.

With the guests I have coming up over the next few weeks I’m going to pose just one question to help us focus. For my interview with Police Chief Bob Bongiorn, I’m going to ask, “what’s it like to be a cop?” (that program is scheduled for September 12.) On September 26, I’m going to be talking with our State Representative Ken Gordon and I’m probably going to ask him “what’s next.” (Art couldn’t resist an impish chuckle at this question.)

The Citizen: How do you think your own life experiences equip you to grapple with some of the “big” issues of our time – not just Bedford-related but on the national scene?

Art: Well, I’ve had a variety of educational and career opportunities over the years: I’m a graduate of Dean College and I served in both the Army Reserve and in the active U.S. Navy, part of that time on submarine duty. My interest in “putting things together,” whether pieces of wood to make furniture or to design houses, led me to the Boston Architectural Center, where I was Coordinator of Counseling Services and Design Faculty for a couple of years; I was a partner for a time in an architectural firm (although I am not a registered architect.)

Since I’ve always been interested in how people, as well as things, work together, I later got a master’s degree in counseling psychology from Leslie University. And I’ve been a certified drug and alcohol counselor. All these experiences have given me some insight into how people and groups can work together. I want to do this work because I believe a cleansing occurs in this kind of conversation that ensures each individual an enhanced sense of a truly authentic self. I really believe that like-minded persons can bring change for the betterment of all.

Art’s upcoming shows and guests include: