About the Artist

Wing began to consider himself a sculptor when he was introduced to the practice of wood carving at university in 1988. This discovery connected his lifelong love of art with a material and a process that would become the primary occupation of his life. In fact, several lifetimes would not be enough to fully explore the medium. Subtractive carving is challenging. Although other approaches to sculpture, such as modeling clay, and casting and fabricating metal, have expanded Wing’s knowledge of techniques and tools, it is carving wood that still claims the greatest hold on his heart.

Wing also carves other materials including ice, snow, sand and stone. Sculpting these different materials has taken Wing around the world and introduced him to a very unique family of international artists. Ice is fast but doesn’t last. Stone lasts a long time, but it requires much more time, space, tools, and is more expensive to sculpt. But wood is just right.

Early Influences

Christopher Gonzales, a leading Jamaican sculptor, and Barrington MacLean, a Panamanian born artist and Wing’s first woodcarving instructor, were two early influences.  He began woodcarving while a student at The University of California, Santa Cruz in the 1980’s where he studied under master sculptor, Jack Zajac.  Wing visited Japan after college to study that country’s rich woodcarving heritage.  In Nara he was introduced to Koyo Taketani, a carver of traditional wooden dolls, who gave Wing his first Japanese tools.  The Japanese mallet made especially for Wing almost 30 years ago is a tool he uses almost daily. 

From Wood to Ice, Stone and Sand

Wing’s love of woodcarving has carried over to many other materials.  In 1994 Wing visited Bernard Matemera in the remote Zimbabwe community, Tengenenge, and got his first taste of stone carving.  In 2000 Wing was invited to carve marble in Carrara, Italy at the studio of Bay Area Figurative sculptor, Manuel Neri.  Five times Wing has carved ice at the World Ice Art Championships in Fairbanks, Alaska.  He has also been invited multiple times to carve ice in China, Finland, Poland, and Germany.  Wing has also been invited to carve sand at top international events. 

Philadelphia, the birthplace of modern democracy and great art!

Wing moved to Philadelphia in 1997 to study at the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts.  In 2003 he married a Nurse Practitioner. They have two children and now live in Powelton Village.  Wing began sculpting at his studio at 40th and Westminster in West Philadelphia in 2017.