Ron Lake Custom Knife Brass Tail-lock Scrimshawed Big Cats by David Smith

David Smith is entering his third decade of a full-time career as a scrimshander. Over the years he has become well known as a Master Scrimshander, having received numerous awards and recent submission into the American Art Museum Library at the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, D.C. His work is sold to collectors worldwide and to fine gift shops and galleries throughout the United States.

David's motivation to launch his career in the art of scrimshaw stemmed from his experiences with sailing in his home waters of Rhode Island. He also draws inspiration from the whaling history of nearby New Bedford and Nantucket. Each piece is created with a deep personal understanding and appreciation of the subject he depicts. There is not an abundance of the artist's work to be found due to the time and effort which goes into each piece he creates.

Though scrimshaw has long been thought of as a traditional craft, David Smith's work is considered to be a true art form. Each piece is so realistically rendered it seems three dimensional. The artist's refined etching style and monochrome color choice together create very appealing and soft images. Smith's work shows the appreciation he has for ivory as a medium. His subjects are not just placed on the ivory, but become part of it.

Stippling (pin-prick) is the time-consuming technique used almost exclusively in his renderings. His style has been considered distinctly unique from other scrimshanders, as it possesses a strong softness of fully shaded subjects with considerable detail. Smith's scrimshaw should be viewed not only as a miniature work of art, but a unique and valuable investment.

In his spare time David enjoys being on the water in his native Ocean State; boating, snorkeling, body surfing and taking photos. He resides in Rhode Island with his wife, Connie and daughters Heather and Laura. Source: scrimshaw.com