I worked for ten years as a proofreader in the Book Division of Gulf Publishing Company, and later as an editor in the Composing Room at the Houston Chronicle. I was never happy in the stifling environment of the 9 to 5 world. In 2001 I discovered that I had some artistic talent and decided to pursue art as a full-time career.

Initially I sold my artwork -- mostly weathervanes and tornado paintings -- on eBay. Weathervane sculpture is a lost art and I quickly found a niche; over time I developed a faithful clientele of art collectors/patrons, architects, home builders, galleries, etc., who have continually supported me for years. It still amazes me that people are willing to buy anything that I make.

People often say to me, "I wish I could discover some hidden talent like you did." I believe everyone has artistic talent, but few people ever learn to tap into it. For me it was a serendipitous discovery: I didn't choose art, it chose me. That, and the fact that I spent literally thousands of hours' time studying classical art -- mostly from the Baroque Era -- plus a lot of blood, sweat and tears. Never be afraid to follow your dreams -- anything is possible.

My artwork has been featured on the Discovery Channel's Monster House series, on PBS's Antiques Roadshow, in the Wall Street Journal, the Houston Chronicle, on the long-running television program The Texas Country Reporter, and most recently a cover/feature story in Fort Bend Focus Magazine. Additionally, I was one of the first artists to be designated a "Texas Original" by The Texas Commission on the Arts.

Recent commissions include architectural elements for the home of Heinz Ketchup CFO Paul Renne (Pittsburgh, PA); weathervanes for the home of composer/arranger William Goldenberg (Santa Clarita, CA); and weathervane sculptures for PBS's Antiques Roadshow producer Robert Marshall (Boston, MA), and Larry Levinson Productions (Los Angeles, CA).

My weathervanes are punishing the wind in 45 states in the U.S., as well as in seven foreign countries.

--David J. Smith
Sublime, Texas