Darryl Smith

Darryl passed away peacefully after a long battle with cancer on October 1st, 2022. He was a beloved family member, a pillar of his community, and a proud Detroiter. After graduating from Munford High School he went on to attend the Center for Creative Studies (CCS). He then ventured to California to continue his education and studied at Otis College of Art and Design in Los Angles and the Art Center College of Design in Pasadena, majoring in Photojournalism and Commerical Photography, respectively. From 1988-2004 Darryl worked with the California African American Museum (CAAM) as a Staff Photographer and Exhibit Designer. He found great joy in this position where he learned many invaluable skills. 

He deeply treasured his art community, friends, family, and colleagues in California. He loved loved sharing stories about them when he returned to Detroit. During his time in California, he found a love for intentional living, healthy eating, Jazz, World Music, and Afrocentric Music. He also took care of his father, Doyle Smith, until his passing. In 2010, he made the life-changing decision to return to Detroit to care for his mother, Thelma Smith until her passing in 2020. While caring for his mother, he also managed to find time to invest and enrich his local Detroit community.

Darryl served 16 years as Garden Coordinator at the Capuchin Soup Kitchen Rosa Parks Peace Garden. In addition to his pursuing his passion as a freelance artist, he contributed to a variety of community gardens (Northend Firehouse Garden, D-Town Farm "DBCFSN", and Stoepel St. Garden), festivals (African World Festival), block clubs (Stoepel and Snowden Community Block Club), the Detroit Public Schools Urban Gardening Program, and Community Art Grants such as the Detroit Negiboorhood Arts Project. 

At any given moment he was ready to embrace nature for a camping trip, hike, biking, or outdoor adventure with his dogs. For Darryl, the sunshine invited the opportunity to relax and explore while the colder months offered a chance to burrow into his workspace while he created yet another work of art. He believed and encouraged everyone in his community to invest in their ideas, and creative expressions, to take a path that empowered them to discover their best selves.