I pressed him a bit, ‘what do you write in your artist’s statement under each of your pieces?’ He explained that he limits himself to a factual description of the materials and such. We talked more. Truth be told, I was trying to get some sleep, but the conversation held my interest. Among many other things, he told me about his childhood — how he was a hidden child in the second world war; how his family went from safe house to safe house; how he never put down roots. He had a fascinating past and I could sense that somehow, it informed the worldview he expresses through his art.

This notion intrigued him. I noticed a light of awareness spark in his eyes. As we were shuffling our way to the exit after the plane had safely taxied to the gate, he turned to me and said, “Thank you Michel. I learned something very profound about what I put into my art.”

It’s not what we do that sets us apart. It’s how we do what we do. And even beyond that, it’s why we do how we do it that sets us apart.