Business Profile: Artist found his niche, held on tight

It started innocently enough. David Voisard was the son of teachers in Illinois. He received his degree in education from Illinois State. He was a collegiate athlete, loved football and basketball. He was a real showman on water skis, but it was his enormous interest in downhill skiing that lured him to California.

Voisard took a job as a ski instructor and trekked west to begin the new adventure. There was only one minor problem. It didn’t snow that year. No snow, no job — and no money.

Drawing on skills he learned from working with his teacher and part-time-carpenter father, Voisard landed a job with a cabinet shop producing custom cabinetry.

“I remember one job that changed my direction in life,” Voisard said. “It was a set of solid wood double doors. We sent them out to be hand-carved. When they came back, I couldn’t believe my eyes. I was hooked. I wanted to do that!”

He asked if he could learn the art of woodcarving and three years later got his opportunity. As a result, Voisard hand-carved presentation boxes, display cases and auction boxes for wineries. He carved signature doors for wine cellars, and created thousands of hand-carved creations enhancing the brands of some of the most prestigious wineries in the world.

“I never really sold things — I listened. I listened to what they were saying about their business. I heard their passion and dreams. I made pen-and-ink sketches of the visions that those thoughts painted. I guess you could say I’m good at interpreting ideas,” Voisard said.

Things were going well in the wine industry. Then, one winery asked Voisard to create a presentation table using metal and glass to showcase their premium vintage.

“I had worked with tons of wood, but this was my chance to expand creatively into metal working. And once again I was hooked,” Voisard said.

The result? An etched glass-topped table featuring a base composed of a recycled Caterpillar tractor gear, gold leaf grape cluster adornments, and even more photos of his work appeared in industry magazines.

The hectic pace of his business in Napa Valley made a getaway visit to the Tubac Festival of the Arts in 2000, a welcome sojourn. The unique atmosphere of the Santa Cruz Valley and lure of the expansive Sonoran desert quickly embraced Voisard and his wife, Micki. So much so, that they purchased a home in Tubac in 2001.

Voisard set up his working studio in the south end of the Amado Territory Ranch shortly after that. “We moved here with no customers, only a handful of friends, but with that special feeling of being able to create new and special projects that reflect this wonderful environment,” Voisard said.

It was a good move for the Voisards. In addition to whimsical art in metal and wood, the Voisard Studio has delivered caricatured bird sculptures for a public art project titled “Birds Fly South.”

Voisard created several life-sized stainless steel human “shoppers” for Oro Valley’s Sprout’s/Kohl’s shopping complex.

Recently, Voisard created a one-of-a-kind “swimming fishes” aluminum driveway gate. When the automatic gate opens the fish, individually move in shimmering silhouette. He is working on a 20-foot wrought iron chandelier for a large home.

So, what is next for the Voisard Studio?

“Education is not only part of my background, but I would like to teach serious students about creating personalized art through sculpture, and metal working,” Voisard said. “If just one student can capture the passion I have been fortunate to deliver, I will have been very successful.”

Contact Voisard at The Voisard Studio, 520-991 9436; www.voisardstudios.com.