With thanks to his Springton Lake Village neighbors who facilitated its composition, David Phillips recently presented his latest creation, “Springton Swordfish,” to the residents of the 40-home lakeside retirement community in Marple Township, Delaware County, in which he lives. “My imagination ‘caught’ this fish when I gathered together the accumulation of trinkets, artifacts and just unusual stuff my neighbors were bringing over, hoping I could use it for my artwork,” said Phillips, who with his wife, Rena, moved to Springton Lake Village in June of 2021. “Now they can see that I did just that.
” Now retired and able to devote more time to creative endeavors, Phillips’ work includes several found-object wall sculptures in the shape of fish. His aim is to turn what some might call junk into elements of art. The aptly named “Springton Swordfish” is no small fry — it is a 7-foot-long rendition of a swimming vertebrate, its body built from the recycling bin, and complete with a local origin story.
Earlier this year, Phillips gave a talk on art collecting and the creative process, using his own works — fish included — and others as examples. In the days and weeks that followed, Springton residents, unsolicited, began bringing him “stuff” — trinkets, artifacts, unusual bits and pieces and even a sword blade — to his doorstep. Soon enough, he had the makings of his next creation, and “Springton Swordfish” was spawned.
Following its celebrato.
