Bruce SmithSalty Reveries
Bruce Smith’s life is as vibrant as his artwork. For years, he has explored the Caribbean, sketching and painting scenes of local culture while living aboard his sailboat. Sailing up and down the island chain, he has captured his favorite subjects and become one of the region’s most recognized artists. His self-taught, native-inspired style can be seen throughout the Caribbean. A skilled mariner, Bruce has always had a deep love for the sea, even spending time building boats and repairing sails during his years in the islands.
Bruce’s adventures gained wider recognition when the Caribbean-inspired restaurant chain Bahama Breeze featured him in a blog and marketing campaign. The campaign documented his journey from Washington State to the Caribbean aboard Woodwind, a handmade 34-foot sailboat. Along the way, he and his wife encountered Hurricane Sergio in the Pacific and made international headlines after rescuing two Haitian immigrants off the coast of the Dominican Republic. Their voyage ultimately led them to Antigua.
Smith’s artistic career began years ago in St. Maarten, where Jan and Foard Tarbert, owners of a small grocery store near a marina, noticed him painting boat names and signs for the boatyard. They hired him to create window signs for their store, and he added not just names and prices but also humorous illustrations. Tourists started buying the signs, marking the beginning of his journey into the art world.
As he and his wife sailed the Caribbean—she as a journalist and he as an artist—Bruce painted murals in bars and restaurants throughout the Lesser Antilles. His large-scale artwork, particularly his murals in St. Barts, became well known for enhancing the ambiance of these establishments.
When he transitioned to painting on hardboard, his work found a ready market, and galleries across the Caribbean eagerly awaited his arrival in their ports. Decades later, when Bahama Breeze expanded, the restaurant chain’s owners—fondly recalling his distinctive style—commissioned Bruce to create murals for each of their locations, solidifying his legacy as a celebrated Caribbean artist.