I Cracked My Skull Open in New York

TIME TO BE SMILEY

by Matt Smiley

There comes a moment when you have to crack your own skull open and let the truth spill out, or it rots inside and finishes you off. That’s what painting is for me. Survival. People always ask what I’m trying to do with my art. It's simple: I’m trying to outrun the noise in my head.

Matt stands in front of his artwork, "Fragments of a Dream," newly installed in a Beverly Hills office building.

I grew up ski racing. One mistake and you’re wrapped around a fence. You learn fast that fear is negotiable if you train hard enough. That lesson never left me. Whether that is Art, film or business. They're all the same game.

My life so far has been a bumpy road trip with plenty of unexpected turns that have sent me in all directions. A few acting gigs, amazing writing projects, impactful film development and the surprise leap into the world of documentary filmmaking. Highway of Tears opened my eyes to the darker sides of life. It was a story I didn't understand and one that was impossible to look away. I had to find out more and tell that story. It was one of the biggest risks I've taken in my life. I did everything I could to try and tell that story as truthfully as possible. I never lost sight that these weren't just stories. They were real people that were loved.

Painting showed up later in my life. It seemed like the only place where I could explore all my own grief, joy, and memories all in one sitting. I never meant to show the work, let alone sell it. I was just trying to paint faster than my own thoughts.

Then came the big career milestone: New York.

TIME TO BE SMILEY — My First Solo Show in NYC

Soho, November 2025. Ten years of ideas spewing out of my head from my pop art journey on display for strangers. I had a month and a half to put something meaningful together, so naturally, I dove into action, painting feverously every day. My Smiley character started coming to life a few months ago during my "Down the Rabbit Hole" exhibit at the Mondrian Hotel, morphing together the worlds of Alice in Wonderland and Hollywood. He morphed into a narrator of sorts for everything I couldn’t say out loud. Then the Timekeeper showed up in my mind. He's part me, part everyone who ever recounted me a piece of their story. He's taken up a bigger space in my storytelling in this latest collection. We'll see where the adventure takes us next!

What I’ve learned way (and keep re‑learning):

• Listen with your whole soul.

• Be brutally empathetic.

• Take action. Nothing is real until you make it happen.

I don’t wait well. My brain is a 24‑hour idea factory. Big wins, bigger failures. The failures stick longer, but they've also taught me things far beyond any of my wins have. You just keep turning the broken pieces until something new clicks.

With a name like Smiley, people expect rainbows, butterflies and sunshine. They don’t expect to uncover the dark rooms I’ve walked through to earn it. Happiness only hits hard because I know what the opposite feels like. We all do, which is what makes this journey of life so special. My biggest goals are to make you smile, but never let go of trying to tell a meaningful story. We can't shy away from the darker moments or things in life that unsettle us.

The road ahead

New York poured rocket fuel on everything I’ve been carrying and want to express. I’m back in Los Angeles now, working through action packed days and sleepless nights, excited to prepare my next few exhibits and push forward on some insanely cool projects in the works that I can’t wait to share with you soon.

For now, here are some photos from TIME TO BE SMILEY exhibit. I hope they remind you to keep kicking down your own doors.

Photos courtesy of David Farkas, New York (2025)

Keep going. And don't forget to keep smiling!

~ Matt