Barry Dean Smith

Paradise Cay resident Barry Smith, who owned and curated Smith Gallery Tiburon downtown and ran a knife-sharpening business out of the same space, died suddenly at the shop on Feb. 18, his 70th birthday.

Barry Dean Smith was born Feb. 18, 1955, in Boulder, Colorado, to Lonnye Ann and Ewart Earl Smith as the youngest of three sons, born after eldest Eric and middle son Dana. Smith grew up in Los Angeles’ Canoga Park neighborhood before moving to the Woodland Hills neighborhood. As children, Barry and his brothers boated a lot in the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta with their grandparents, who had a trailer on one of its islands where they stayed for several summers.

Barry graduated from El Camino Real High School in Woodland Hills and earned a business degree at California State University at Sacramento. During his time in college he had a job shoveling fish for a cannery, which he did not enjoy, and which led to him getting a job in the framing business. He ran galleries and frame shops for Tower Records in Sacramento and Sherman Oaks.

He relocated to Tiburon after he bought a boat and needed to move it. He was living on the boat, stationed at the Paradise Cay Yacht Harbor, at the time of his death. He first opened the Smith Gallery Tiburon on a part-time basis. Having learned how to sharpen knives from his brother, he incorporated Smith’s Knife Sharpening into the space, with weekly pop-ups at the United Markets both in San Rafael and San Anselmo.

Barry opened the gallery in 2017, and it featured sailing art, abstract pieces, contemporary work and California-specific creations. Smith himself was a painter, working with acrylics and producing works of the Golden Gate Bridge, the San Francisco skyline and animals, such as giraffes. Barry always greeted visitors to the gallery, as did his beloved cat, Precious, who would roam the space freely. He would frequently put canvasses outside to encourage kids walking by to paint.

Everything Barry did was precise, and he always had focus. He always tried to help other people and make them feel as good, if not better than he was. He was an eager teacher to anyone and wanted to share with others whatever he was well versed in. He would set up easels for kids who want to paint and pass out treats to dogs. Barry and his cat, Precious, were popular with patrons, as was Chewbacca, his former dog.

The gallery allowed Barry to do his favorite thing — talk to people about art.

Barry is survived by his brothers, Eric and Dana.

A memorial service will be held later, with those interested encouraged to visit the gallery to sign up for notifications. Donations can be made to the Marin Humane Society.

Dana and Eric plan to sell their brother’s works as part of closing the shop, and that all proceeds will go to settling his estate’s medical bills. Further details will be posted outside the gallery.