Craig Hobart Smith

Craig H. Smith: Artist, Visionary, and Keeper of the "Easy Rider" Spirit

Craig Hobart Smith, a renowned "commemorative artist" whose metal and wood creations became landmarks across Connecticut and the American West, has passed away. He was 75.

Craig was born August 17, 1950 in Bridgeport, CT to the late Bette Middlemass Smith and Hobart Lyford Smith of Fairfield, CT. Known as a "Renaissance man" of the 21st-century folk art movement, Craig’s life was a testament to the idea that creativity has no bounds. A 1971 graduate of Andrew Warde High School, Craig first made his mark on the local landscape as a teenager with the "Metal Monster," a 22-foot skeletal dinosaur crafted from antique farm implements. Today, it remains a beloved fixture at the Beardsley Zoo in Bridgeport—a symbol of Craig’s lifelong talent for turning "scrap piles" into wonders.

Craig’s work was often a bridge between history and the present. He was a man who was "there" for the big moments: he attended the original Woodstock in 1969, designed commemorative putters for U.S. Open legends including Jack Nicklaus and Tom Watson, and created a 150-pound sculpture for the 1980 Lake Placid Winter Olympics. Even in 2018, his passion remained undimmed as he showcased an intricate "needle-painted" rock to honor the Pyeongchang Games.

In his later years, Craig became a fixture of the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally and regional bike shows, where he worked tirelessly on his massive Easy Rider relief carving. To Craig, the art was never for sale; it was a conversation starter. He famously burned the names of everyone he met into the back of his carvings, ensuring that every person who stopped to admire his work became a permanent part of the piece. "It's the spirit of all the bikers," he once said, preferring the connection of the road to the profit of the gallery.

Beyond the wood and metal, Craig was an advocate for local heritage. Whether he was organizing coloring contests to save the Penfield Reef Lighthouse, carving replicas of the HMS Rose, or donating a metal butterfly to the Beardsley Zoo to honor the victims of September 11, he used his hands to ensure that history and humanity were never forgotten. As Beardsley Zoo Director Gregg Dancho once remarked, Craig lived for the moment when a stranger stopped to look at his work. "He just loves what he does," Dancho said. "He'll stand, sometimes, and just watch people look at his stuff."

Craig was a man of faith and a dedicated member of the North Haven Congregational Church. His desire to share "the spirit of it all" extended into his spiritual life; while residing at Regency House, he found great purpose in leading a Bible study group for his fellow residents, offering a sense of community and hope to those around him.

Craig is survived by his children: Craig Smith and his wife Christina, Erik Smith, and Marisa Smith; and his grandchildren, Nathan Smith and Jack Smith. He also leaves behind his sisters, Cheryl Hall and her husband Peter, and Lynn Kinsman. He was predeceased by his brother, Jock Smith.

Friends and family are invited to celebrate Craig’s life and legacy on Friday, January 16th, at the Spear-Miller Funeral Home, 39 South Benson Road, Fairfield, CT. A calling hour will be held from 10:00 AM to 11:00 AM, with a memorial service beginning at 11:00 AM. 

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to the Beardsley Zoo in Bridgeport. This gesture honors Craig’s bond with the zoo and ensures that future generations can continue to find “the spirit of it all” through art and nature.