The Sculptor

"I love beginning a sculpture and seeing and feeling it transform. After the entire work is done and it is cast in bronze, it is awesome that the art is touchable. People can not only enjoy the vision of the piece, but actually get their hands on it and feel the piece."   

R. David Mattiza

Although A Californian by birth, David has lived in and around the Houston, Texas area for most of his life. His desire to pursue a career in fine art was both a natural and instinctive direction for him. His background is steeped in the arts, performing and visual and his maternal heritage traces involvement in the founding of The Julliard School of Music. His Mother, Canadian born, was one quarter Crow, hence David’s innate connection portrayed in many of his sculptures.

David derives immense pleasure in beginning a sculpture and, as it nears completion, seeing and feeling it transform. He is gifted with a special talent for portrait bronzes in both life size and monumental and his limited editions bronzes are in private collections throughout the United States, Canada, Scotland; and on display in museums, the Pentagon, and the private collection of President and First Lady Bush.

David’s passion for sculpting began as a young child playing with clay. While he is self-taught for the most part, he attended the Banff School of Fine Arts in Banff, Alberta Canada, studying both visual and performing arts. This proved to whet his appetite for what was to be postponed until later in life. Over the years, he has experimented with various mediums. During the mid 1980s, David began his sculpting career using Terra Cotta clay, although he found this water-based clay limiting, he produced several limited edition busts. He sold several bronzes of this series to private collectors in Texas.

In 1993 he moved to Sedona, Arizona where David met, studied with, and became friends with the world-renowned sculptor, John M. Soderberg. This proved to be a turning point in both David’s personal and professional life. He began working in ‘classic clay’ and found this to be the perfect match for his work. Since this mixture of clay, wax and oil never hardens, he can work on several pieces at once.

After three years of studying, David found himself coming full circle by moving back to the Houston area. This move was yet another turning point in his path as an artist. He began to create a greater variety of sculptures and was capable of devoting full time to his art. David’s talent and passion have matured and expanded into the realization sculpting is his life’s work.

Epiphany Studio, David’s working studio/gallery, is located on the grounds of The Great Southwest Equestrian Center in Katy, Texas, and he welcomes visitors. Here, you are free to view, firsthand, finished bronzes and various works in progress.

Gallery Representation

• Miller Fine Arts Gallery, Salado, Texas
• Bremond House Gallery, Elgin, Texas
• Castle Rock Gallery
• Homeworks Art Gallery & Decor

• National Center for American Western Art
• Texas Society of Sculptors
• Texas Sculptor Society
• Native American Chamber of Commerce
• Katy Area Chamber of Commerce
• YMCA former Board of Directors member
• Austin Visual Arts Association
• CRAAL
• Exchange Club of Greater Katy Area