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Swing Blade
By BRANDON DANE
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When marine sculptor David
Wirth was
named the International Game
Fish Association’s (IGFA)
featured artist in 2006, he was
genuinely surprised - he was
the first sculptor to be honored
by the IGFA in almost 40
years. Wirth’s art stems from
a lifelong passion for angling,
and a near-death experience.
He grew up fishing both salt
and fresh water while living
in California, Minnesota and
Colorado. Since then, his
artistic career has taken off. He
now resides in Temecula, Cal.
Wirth got a late start on his
artistic career. “When I was
28 years old, I had the chicken
pox and it almost killed me,”
Wirth says. “During my recovery
I used a fillet knife and a
piece of oak and made my first
fish.” He jokes that he began
wood sculpting with three
things: a piece of wood he
found in his garage, his knife
and a bucket of beer. “After
three days of whittling, I
realized something was going
on here,” he says. It was only
two years later that he was
winning awards at wildlife
art shows all over California.
His IGFA artist recognition
has special meaning for Wirth.
“Being selected as the featured
artist was a huge deal for
me…to be honored by your
peers feels good.”
Wirth has come a long way
from scrap wood and a fillet
knife. Sculpting is a physically
demanding and time-consuming
process. In the beginning,
he only produced four or
five pieces per year. Now he
creates 30 or more pieces of
art annually. “[This] is a lot
for a sculptor. I am totally
self-taught and developed
techniques and use tools that
metal fabricators use because
I deal with very hard woods. I
like using hardwoods because
the wood grains are colorful
and very animated,” he says.
He uses black walnut,
orange and olive wood, as
well as oak and juniper, which
he harvests himself from all
over California. Recently, he
opened a new workshop in
Kihei, Maui, Hawaii, where he
creates statues of local marine
life using indigenous woods
such as Koa, Monkey Pod
and Macadamia Nut. Specific
trees also inspire his creative
process. “[It] starts when I
find a ‘fish.’ I have to see the
fish in motion,” Wirth says.
“The wood dictates what I can
do.” Finding logs that inspire
him is only the first step. He
then must “cure” the log until
it is dry. That usually takes
five years. It is only after curing
that he can really begin.
“When it’s time, I break out
my pencil, er, I mean my
chainsaw, and sketch away,
cutting out the rough pieces,”
he explains. “The rest is finetuning
detail over a two to six
month period.” Wirth says he
tries to “take woodcarving to
another level of ‘fine art’ [and]
create things that other artist
aren’t.” He enjoys all aspects
of the marine wildlife genre
“from bluegill to blue marlin,”
but prefers pelagics because
they are such powerful and
animated animals.
Current endeavors include
plans to open a workshop/studio
in the Florida Keys, and
recently setting up a display
at the Redbone Gallery in
Islamorada. Guy Harvey has
selected some of his sculptures
for a new gallery in the Grand
Caymans. His works can also
be seen at IGFA headquarters
in Dania Beach, Fla. “I will
do everything to be different.
Originality is the game,” he
says. “I use the passion I have
for the sea and the respect that
these old trees deserve. This is
a one time shot – no drawings,
no practice pieces – only sharp
blades and hardwoods.”
For more information, visit
www.davidwirth.com.
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