A Life in Color and Care - The Art of Sandra Smith-Poling
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Studio photo by Carolyn Lewis [/caption]
Arts reporting by Carolyn Lewis
Sandra Smith-Poling decided to become an artist while watching her father paint at the beach, the moment felt like more than just admiration—it was destiny. "I was five years old, watching my father paint at Laguna Beach," she recalls. "And I thought that would be wonderful." That quiet childhood moment sparked a lifelong creative journey—one painted across cities, coastlines, hospitals, and harbors, in both watercolor and oil.
Today, Smith-Poling is a respected artist, sailor, physician, and teacher whose art spans continents, media, and moods. Her work is deeply atmospheric—anchored in a love of place, light, and the quiet drama of the natural world. Throughout her long career, the desire to capture a moment’s mood is the one thread that remains constant."I love to feel the atmosphere of a place and the people," she explained. "As an artist, you can adjust the elements—a little more sun or mist. It’s about feeling, not just representation.” Smith-Poling gravitates toward watercolors because "Watercolor has more ability to create mood and atmosphere. Oil can be starker and more forceful—less subtle," she said. Still, she embraces both, switching between them with the fluency of a seasoned storyteller.
For her, art and medicine have always gone hand in hand. "I strongly believe we need to balance both right and left brains. Art made me more creative and imaginative even in medicine," she said.
While treating patients at the University of Washington, she started taking night classes in beginning drawing at North Seattle Community College at the age of 34—already a doctor, but still seeking something more.
Being an avid sailor has also shaped both her spirit and her art. "There is something spiritual about being out on the water," she said, her eyes lit up. "Watching the sunrise or moonrise over the water, with a blue heron on the buoy—it stays with you."
She and her late husband Mitch crewed on the historic schooner Adventuress and taught sailing together. Her many paintings of the ship have even supported local fundraising efforts.
Smith-Poling has many, many stories to tell and fondly recalls her and her husband's time at Nuuciq Spirit Camp in Alaska, where she served as the camp doctor and artist, and Mitch taught traditional kayak building.
The forced isolation during COVID was a creative time for her. She completed and published several books, including Haikus of Nuuciq and A Life of Art, Medicine, and Adventure: An Illustrated Memoir, which includes nearly 200 paintings.
Her relationship with the art world has evolved, she said, but her values have stayed grounded. When her and her husband moved to Port Townsend, they saw a need for more gallery space and helped start Gallery 9, now a beloved fixture for over two decades. "Some galleries only put one painting on a wall. I probably put too many," she joked. "But this isn’t the Louvre. People love the variety." She continues to exhibit widely, with past showings in La Jolla, Pasadena, Carmel, San Francisco, and Seattle.
Now, as both an artist and an elder, she views her role as part mentor, part encourager of creativity.
"I try to impress upon people their innate ability to be creative. I saw it firsthand—my watercolor and oil techniques came from my father, and I later taught my mother oil painting using water-miscible oils after my father passed. She learned quickly and created some beautiful work." These safer, solvent-free paints are now her preferred medium.
Not one to stop exploring new territory, she is now working in Anime-style watercolor paints introduced to her by her son, a 3D modeler. "I made Valentine’s Day cards—like a frog on a lily pad. My husband looked at it and said, ‘It needs bigger feet!’ Of course—I'd forgotten the cardinal rule of cartooning: exaggerate a feature!"
The couple had planned to write and illustrate children's books together. "He was a wonderful writer. Sadly, he passed before we could do it."
Asked what keeps her painting after all these years, her answer is simple: joy.
"It brings me joy, and I love the joy it brings others. It also keeps the little grey cells in my brain active!"
From painting European harbors with her father to depicting Port Townsend’s Goat Parade and Farmer’s Market, her work celebrates both the grand and the familiar. She has painted everything from the Wooden Boat Festival to commissioned horse portraits and sailing scenes, including a recent piece of Maxine sailing through the Columbia River Gorge. "I only take commissions that truly interest me—just in case the person doesn’t want it!" she laughs."Art is always evolving. You have to decide how much to stay true to your own interests versus evolving with the times. There’s a place for both."
Her favorite subjects reflect a life well-lived: cities, landscapes, ships, birds, whales, and especially interesting architecture.
Through every brushstroke, it seems she reminds us of what’s possible when we keep creating, keep exploring, and keep saying yes to what brings us alive
You can view her most recent work in person at Gallery 9 in Port Townsend, or visit www.classicpaintings.net to view earlier collections.
Carolyn Lewis is a serial entrepreneur, artist, and community builder happily living and volunteering in Port Townsend. Visit her social media group on Facebook at Port Townsend Life and follow her on Instagram @linalewisart
