David Esterly works in the tradition of Grinling Gibbons (1648-1721), whose spectacular cascades of flowers, fruits and foliage revolutionized ornamental sculpture during the age of Christopher Wren. 

After the 1986 fire at Hampton Court Palace, Esterly was asked to step into the shoes of this long-dead master when he was commissioned to replace the seven foot-long Gibbons carving destroyed in the flames.  At the Victoria and Albert Museum in London in 1998-9 he curated the first ever Gibbons exhibition, and wrote the accompanying book, Grinling Gibbons and the Art of Carving.  In 2002, as a guest artist at the American Academy in Rome, he produced the first of his Arcimboldesque heads.

The Hampton Court carving (shown here) remains his only reproduction work.  As the 18th century saying has it, 'He who imitates the Iliad does not imitate Homer'.  Instead Esterly seeks to reinvent the Gibbons tradition by discarding period conventions and evolving fresh designs for the present age.  In this work he tries to push carving technique and the limewood (linden wood) medium to their highest potential.

Some of his works are independent pieces of sculpture, but many are designed for a particular architectural setting. Working directly with patrons, as well as with architects and designers, Esterly makes an effort to consult the spirit of the place, the character of the room, and the particular interests of the patron, to evolve a composition that is pleasingly appropriate and personal.  He works only on commission, for patrons in America, Britain, and France.