Serene and majestic a giant heron observes his universe. Suddenly he is startled into flight. The huge bird transitions from peaceful stasis to energy and movement. This moment of passionate transformation is the essence of David Maritz and his art.

Using shimmering silver and powerful bronze, David Maritz captures the spirit of movement and transformation in his sculptures of birds and wild animals.

David's sculpting career began as he fashioned toy animals from clay on his parent's 28,000 acre ranch in Zimbabwe. Even as a boy David was fascinated with the motion of birds of prey and wild beasts. He labored to depict the grace and strength of each animal. Political turmoil forced David's family to move to South Africa where he became enamored with falconry.

Following high school, David served in the south African infantry and then continued his studies while obtaining a degree in Biology from the University of Natal. Like his art, David Maritz is in constant motion. After college he traveled around Europe, lived on a kibbutz in Israel and served as a tank commander around the Middle East where David gained a deep appreciation for history, archaeology, and fragility of life.

During the intensity of tank battles, David became fascinated with the power of fire and the mesmerizing beauty of molten metal. Although it would be years before he could formalize the shift, David's sculpting transitioned from clay to bronze and later, to silver.

After several years working in the computer programming industry, David was finally free to pursue his first and deepest passion.

Today, he studies the movement and grace of birds living in the Pacific Northwest while working in his Camano Island studio. As a falconer, David Maritz listens to the spirit of his birds when they move to flight and the hunt. And, as an artist, David Maritz shares the messages of transition and transformation in nature through his unique and beautiful sculpture.