This biography from the Archives of AskART:
|  Known for gracefully sculpted birds, Frank DiVita was born in Genoa,
Italy to parents who wanted him to be a doctor. His family moved
to Toronto, Canada where he frequently explored the natural history
museum. At age twelve, he moved to Montana where he found
abundant wildlife.
He earned a BFA in art and zoology from the
University of Montana and then became a medical illustrator. He
taught high school art in Kalispell, and his gouache bird paintings
became popular. He then turned to sculpting, primarily intricate
birds but some fish and botanicals.
Source:
Wildlife Art magazine
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Biography from Altermann Galleries and Auctioneers, I:
| Frank Divita is a traditional bronze sculptor of Northwestern wildlife, mostly birds. He was born in Genoa, Italy in 1949 and lives in Kalispell, Montana.
“The influence for my work,” he points out, “comes from the blending of two world. The old world, which was my birthplace, gives me a love for tradition, craftsmanship, and philosophy. The new world gives me a love of a more primitive and raw beauty of mountains, natural surrounding and wildlife. I consider the Western art movement a renaissance movement similar to the movement in Italy in the 15th and 16th centuries.”
The DiVita family moved to Missoula, Montana, in 1960. After earning his BFA in art and zoology from the University of Montana, DiVita worked as a graphic artist and then as a medical illustrator for the University. A career in medical illustration would have meant leaving Montana, so he took a job as wildlife illustrator for the U.S. Forest Service before becoming a full time sculptor and painter. “Most of my recognition,” he states, “has come in the bronze field which is closer to what my mind conceives.”
“I work mostly with birds. I chose birds because they have fascinated me since my youth. I remain with them because life is too short to devote to a multitude of ideas and do them all justice. I used to sketch my subjects first, but I found it hard to conceive a three dimensional piece on paper without drawing all angles. By the time I had done that, I felt I had lost some spontaneity, so now I mostly work directly with the clay,” creating the model while watching the bird.
Resource: "Contemporary Western Artists", by Peggy and Harold Samuels 1982, Judd’s Inc., Washington, D.C.
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Biography from Trailside Galleries - WY:
|  A love of art combined with an interest in science led the sculptor of birds, Frank DiVita, to initially seek an education in medical illustration. Upon graduating, he realized that in order to pursue a job in his chosen field, he would have to leave the wide-open spaces of Montana. Unwilling to do this, he decided to teach school, though he continued to pursue his art. From constant encouragement by artist friends, he then decided to commit to his art full-time.
Deciding to do bronze sculpture of birds was an easy decision, as DiVita has always had an emotional connection with them. His goal was to preserve the true-to life integrity of each piece. As a youngster, his pet sparrows allowed him the opportunity to study their individual expressions, characteristics, and movements. The detail from feather shapes, angle of the head, to color is a result of continual study. To insure accuracy, the artist owns his own foundry, which allows him to stay involved in the creative and production process from beginning to end.
Frank DiVita has attracted collectors from all parts of the world. His sculpture can be found in collections in the White House, corporate offices of Perrier in France, NBC in New York, and certainly in many homes across the country.
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Biography from Morris & Whiteside Galleries:
| Born in Italy, Frank DiVita was exposed to art at an early age.
His family relocated to Canada and finally Montana while DiVita was
still a child, and it was during this time that Divita showed a talent
for both zoology and art. These combined skills eventually led him to a
career of illustrating textbooks for medical students while he was
attending the University of Montana.
After graduating from the
University, DiVita refused several job offers, taking a position as an
art teacher at a local high school; a career that would allow him to
stay in the mountains of Montana.
DiVita continued to teach for the next seven years, but soon found
himself longing to have time to sculpt, especially wild birds.
DiVita
now works from his studio in Northern Montana and is inspired by the
wildlife of the area. He painstakingly crafts each piece and is
involved in every casting from start to finish.
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