WESTERN OUTDOOR NEWS

David Wirth's spectacular auction sculpture this year is a leaping dorado

Last year the famed marine hardwood and bronze sculptor created another beautiful, original sculpture for Cabo, by Mike Menas, captain the Bottom Line team after he bid $7,500 for it in the charity auction at the awards dinner

IN MAUI, YOU WILL FIND Wirth's sculpture in the Rick Steininger Gallery as well as The Whaler's Locker, both in Lahina. The IGFA Fishing Hall of Fame and Museum chose Wirth as the 2006 Featured Artist. David also supports Make-A-Wish Foundation in Florida and California, IGFA's Junior angler and Conservation programs, Cabo charities through the Tuna Jackpot Tournament and many other “Take A Kid Fishing” programs.

CABO SAN LUCAS -- Hardwood sculptor David Wirth is back for a fifth year as the official artist of the 2009 Los Cabos Tuna Jackpot and has added a few new wrinkles to his donations of art and winners trophies for the 11th annual tourney.

He will be creating a 21-inch hardwood sculpture of a leaping dorado chasing baitfish flying out of the water. Dorado and wahoo are also target species in the Tuna Jackpot, and are backup species for the tuna optionals.

He is also creating four beautiful Hawaain sportfishing hook pendants in bronze for the winners in four different styles the team members can choose.

Last year David Wirth's tuna bronze raised $7,500 for a special children's facility in Cabo.

The piece was auctioned off by Director Pat McDonell and went to Mike Menas in a spirited bidding war between Menas who is owner and team captain of the Bottom Line that won $271,000, and Judy Ostberg, a collector of David Wirth art. The beneficiary of the bidding war was, of course, the charity.

Ehrenberg brought Nuevo Creation to the attention of the awards dinner crowd at Puerto Paraiso mall. It was touching moment before the auction as the crowd was introduced to Nievo Creacion's Roberto Osuna. Tracy, Osuna and several boys went up on stage and Tracy Ehrenberg let him explain the charity as she translated into English.

Osuna and his wife have dedicated their lives into helping young boys who have become addicted to drugs and alcohol, taking them off the streets and into their home. Currently they provide 18 youngsters with a sober living environment. One young man described how Roberto had saved him from a life of drugs that began at 7 years old and thanked God for the change in his life.

Menas was not to be deterred in the auction and when Ostberg stopped at $7,000, he won with a bid of $7,400 and told McDonell to round it up to $7,500. While the auction took place, the youngsters "passed the hat" in the crowd and cash donations added another $3,700 to the total for Nuevo Creation.

THE BRONZE PENDANTS, four styles, were commission for WON for the winning team of the Cabo Tuna Jackpot. The team captains of the top three teams and the top money winning team will receive custom cigar humidors filled with Cabo's finest cigars, wrapped a few days earlier. Perfect for team celebrating in Cabo.

MEET DAVID A. WIRTH, MARINE WILDLIFE ARTIST

HIS ARTISTIC JOURNEY CONTINUES...

Born in the northern California seaside town of Carmel, 2009 Tuna Jackpot Featured Artist David Wirth quickly grew to love the ocean and its creatures. His father took him fishing in Monterey Bay when he could barely hold a rod and reel. After relocating to Minnesota, Wirth developed his freshwater angling skills in the region's numerous lakes. With Aspen as his home base, he later mastered his fly fishing techniques in the streams of Colorado's Rocky Mountains.

THIS DORADO entering the water is David Wirth's latest creation as featured artistr for the 11th annual WONYamaha/Los Cabos Tuna Jackpot, Nov. 4-7. The one-of-a-kind piece will be auctioned off at the awards dinner on Saturday night with proceeds going to the Los Ninos Del Capitan childrens day care center in Cabo. For more on Wirth's work and the charity efforts for the event last that raised $27,000 or two charities, see the website at www.loscabostunajackpot.com under “feature's and you can also go to David's web link.

Having an exceptional talent for art at an early age, Wirth developed a love for sculpting in wood. Today, Wirth has two passions: outdoor adventures and working with wood. It wasn't until 1994 that he discovered a way to combine both his loves by creating in his sculpting the images he sees of fish leaping from the water, twisting in the air, and then plunging back into the waves.

Wirth's first sculpture was made with a simple fillet knife and a scrap of wood found in his garage. This first sculpture was the result of Wirth's undying love for the ocean and his desire to be connected to the sport which has given him so much pleasure and inspiration. Through sculpture, Wirth at last has found a way to portray the beauty and power that be has experienced in his years on the water.

Much has changed since that first piece of wood was carved; Wirth recently moved his home base to South Florida while he continues to sculpt in his studios in Maui and the Florida Keys. His two children are still based in Southern California where Wirth spends part of each year.

He brought much of his beloved "California" wood with him to South Florida so he continues to sculpt California orange, oak, olive and black walnut. While in his studio in Maui, his "Brahda's keep him supplied with beautiful "Native Hawaiian" hard woods such as koa, mango, macadamia nut, Cook pine, and monkey pod, just to name a few.

With home being Florida, Wirth has begun his journey of sculpting "Native Florida" hardwoods such as Cuban mahogany, Jamaican dogwood, black ironwood, along with plenty of citrus.

"The wood that I find," as Wirth tells it, 'has the most incredible grain, color, and patterning you can imagine. Selection of the tree is a crucial step. The wood must portray motion. The choice (wood) all but dictates the type of fish and action depicted in my sculpture."

Wirth starts by using a chain saw to rough-out the sculpture and coax the fish out of the wood utilizing grain-lines and color patterns within the wood. When this step is finished, Wirth is within a quarter-inch of the finished piece. Extensive carving, sanding, and detailing make up the majority of Wirth's projects. Two years after he began carving, his sculptures were winning awards at fine art and wildlife shows in California.

MIKE MENAS of Bottom Line with his David Wirth bronze sculpture he won in Cabo, with the $7,500 proceeds from the winning big by Menas going to Cabo charity Nuevo Creation.

Going to the next level, Wirth is casting bronze from his wood originals. These limited edition bronzes are "Way over the top," he says. Wirth is using a wet finish look with jeweltone patinas along with fantastic animation. These bronze sculptures are absolutely cutting edge. With the success of the bronzes, he was featured on HGTV (Home and Garden Channel) with Carol Duvall and the Hawaiian Bill Fish Tournament at Kona, HI. "Familiar Waters" fly fishing show, Wirth was a guest artist doing helicopter fishing in British Columbia, Canada and hosted his own show "Wildlife Art Gallery" on The Outdoor Channel's new HDTV series.

Wirth works alone on three to six pieces at one time in his studios in South Florida and Maui. Wirth does commissioned sculptures of life-like game fish and other marine life. Each sculpture, once commissioned, takes one to six months to complete.

Wirth's Sculptures can found on display and for sale at the IGFA (International Game Fish Association) World Fishing Center/Fishing Hall of fame and Museum in Dania, Florida as well as The Keys To Life Studio of Art MM 84.7 Islamorada, FL, as well as the Rain Barrel artist Village, the Redbone Gallery, and Halliday's Treasure Gallery, all in Islamorada.