Egidio Antonaccio is an impressionist whose paintings express his love of nature. Most of his paintings are of gardens and paths; some are simple, some are elaborate, but always with multi-colored flowers of spring, summer or fall in his work. The trails used in his landscapes are a trademark... they wind, turn and disappear leaving us wondering where they go. The trees and objects in the distance seem to be in a misty atmosphere and the sun plays a great part in his paintings, casting shadows on the paths and flowers depicting different times of the day.

Egidio Antonaccio is a man gifted with a rare talent. Having studied with great Italian masters of fine art, he developed a brilliant and commanding style. Born in Castelluccio, Italy in 1954, he graduated from the Institute of Fine Art in 1973 in Castrovillari, Italy. Then in 1978, he graduated with honors from the academy of Fine Arts in Florence, Italy. After immigrating to the United States, his talent was discovered by the acclaimed landscapist, Edward Szmyd. His technique is light and delicate and his themes are romantic and gentle; each painting evokes feelings of strength, grace and wonderment. From floral gardens, richly foliaged and filled with summer scents, to vast panoramic views of hillsides and valleys, Antonaccio is multi-talented with ingenious imagination. Some of his pieces suggest a story or theme and some stand alone with their flawless beauty.

Diane Arthurs Framed Art

Ohio artist, Diane Arthurs began drawing and designing as a child. In high school she entered a commercial art program that gave her hours four of art class per day.  She attended the Art Institute of Fort Lauderdale specializing in fashion illustration.  She switched her major to advertising and design then graduated with an associate’s degree.

She began working in an art studio, which led her to a job as art director of an advertising agency.  Diane decided to strike out on her own as a graphic designer.  She created line drawings, logos, brochures, and print advertisements for various clients, most of which were industrial. In 1991, she met Judy Vonstein from Imagination, a cross-stitch needle work-company, and began creating and designing cross-stitch.

Donna Atkins Framed Art

New England artist Donna Atkins has always enjoyed drawing, although she didn’t start painting until 1994.  After a few acrylics lessons, she began to paint at home, developing her own style of folk art.

Her designs, which have been referred to as “New England style primitives,” reflect the beauty of that region: the ocean, old homes, pastures, white-spired churches, majestic trees, and the ever-changing seasons. Her paintings often convey a longing for “simpler times.” Much of her work incorporates words, old quotations, or verses she pens herself.

Becca Barton Framed Art

When she was young, Ohio artist enrolled in every type of art class she could find. In 1986, she received a scholarship to the Columbus College of Art and Design, where she studied design and illustration for five years. In 1991, she received her bachelor’s degree in fine arts. She worked as a corporate art director and then moved into her current position as a freelance and portrait artist. Most of her artwork reflects her love for animals, nature, and crafts.

William Beard Framed Art

William Holbrook Beard began his career as portrait painter. In 1856, he traveled to Italy, Germany, and Switzerland with fellow artists Albert Bierstadt and Thomas Worthington Whittredge. In 1858, Beard briefly settled in Buffalo, New York, helping to establish an art community that eventually culminated in the establishment of the Buffalo Fine Arts Academy in 1862.

In 1859, Beard moved to New York City and opened a studio in the renowned Tenth Street Studio Building, specially built in 1857 to house artists. At that time, Edwin Church, William Merrit Chase, Albert Bierstadt, and Winslow Homer were fellow resident artists. Beard exhibited extensively in New York, Cincinnati, Chicago, Montreal, San Francisco, and Boston, but he reserved his best work for exhibition at the National Design Academy in New York City.

Gloria Bowlin Framed Art

Gloria is a lifelong resident of southwest Ohio.  She has been drawing, sculpting and sewing since childhood.  From elementary through high school, Gloria’s subject was art.  Her projects were frequently displayed as “special” art in the art window for public viewing.  After high school, Gloria wanted to attend art school, but left that dream on to marry and raise a son and daughter.  Art projects, however, were still a big part of her life.  Gloria has produces a line of doll patterns, holds copyrights on several folk sculpture designs and has exhibited at several folk art shows.  Her biography has been included in several volumes of the Marquis Who’s Who publications for her various artistic endeavors.  Gloria loves antiques as well as her line of collectible dolls and animals.  Gloria wants her creations to reflect her love of god, family, and nature.

Carl Brenders Framed Art

The artistic visions of Carl Brenders reflect his respect for nature. His precise and lively paintings capture the extreme realism of the birds, mammals and habitats he depicts. Brenders paints every detail of his wildlife images - feathers, hair, leaves or pine thorns - until, he says, "they get into my skin."  Brenders was born near Antwerp, Belgium, and has drawn since childhood. He studied at the Fine Arts Academy in Antwerp and later at Berchem. He has produced wildlife illustrations for more than 20 books in a series entitled The Secret Life of Animals. Brenders has been included in the Leigh Yawkey Woodson Art Museum's prestigious "Birds in Art" show. The wildlife images of Brenders art are first created from pencil sketches; from the sketches his mixed-media paintings of watercolor and gouache are completed with a technique he has developed during the last 25 years. His paintings, which encompass every intricacy of nature, devote equal attention to the detail of the wildlife subject and its habitat as well as to the mood created by the light.

Darrell Bush Framed Art

Darrell Bush was born in East Moline, Illinois he enjoyed hunting and fishing with his family as a child. He graduated with a bachelor of fine arts degree in commercial art from Northern Illinois University in 1984. He moved to Minnesota where he worked as a commercial illustrator for five years while pursuing his love of wildlife art. In 1987, Bush became a full time artist. In 1996, he participated in the wonders of Nature exhibit in Hong Kong. He was named Artist of the Year in 1997’s Wildlife Western and American Art Exhibit. His love of wildlife has lead him to efforts in conservation producing state hunting stamps and prints, the 1996 National Fish and Wildlife print and several commissions from Ducks Unlimited. Darrell Bush is an active member in the National Audubon Society and Ducks Unlimited.

Dotty Chase Framed Art

Dotty lives in Massachusetts with her husband, son and three cats.  Growing up, she was inspired by the collection of artwork her mother had sketched as a teenager.  They included anything from drawings of women in the 1940’s fashion sketches of Mickey and Minnie Mouse. 

Early in her career Dotty attended an art museum taking silversmith courses.  She created sterling silver jewelry to sell at craft shows. She eventually migrated to painting and has attended art classes off and on for many years. Her love of cats, sheep and country scenes show in her folk art style. She enjoys painting on wood because it takes on a character of its own and compliments her artwork. In the summer, she and her family camp in Maine and New Hampshire. It is here that Dotty gets inspiration for landscapes, barns and houses that she incorporates in her paintings. They also attend local fairs where Dotty takes pictures of various farm animals such as cows, sheep and roosters.

Tim Cox Framed Art

Contemporary realist Tim Cox is a painter and perfectionist who explores and documents experiences of the modern working cowboy, capturing the glorious landscape, majestic skies, energy, hard work and romance of life on America's open range.

Born in Arizona and raised in Duncan, a small farming and ranching community on the New Mexico border, Cox vowed at the age of five he "was going to be a cowboy artist" when he grew up, a goal pursued with unwavering determination and a penchant for absolute accuracy. "If I don't know my subject, I don't paint it...I just cannot do impressionistic paintings”, although I've been told by some successful artists to do so: Loosen up. Forget the details of ropes and spurs; use more splash-dash, make bold strokes!' Thank you, no."

Although his evident skill was recognized early on and he was encouraged in his painting, Cox suspected that most art schools and colleges would not support his highly realistic approach. Instead, he studied formal drawing with William Whitaker at Brigham Young University and sought out cowboy artists he admired who provided sound advice and reinforced his principles regarding elements of design, composition and the importance of light.

Painting professionally since 1975, Cox works at his easel at least ten hours each day, seven days a week, producing no more than fourteen meticulous oil paintings each year, all of which he has sold. Living with his wife Suzie, a former rodeo champion, and their two children in the remote ranching unity of Eagle Creek, Arizona since 1978, where mail comes just one each week and the nearest telephone, electrical pole or grocery store is an hour and a half away, Cox is completely engrossed in the life he documents on canvas.

Exactness in his portrayal of horses and riders, the cowboy's individual style, gear and relationship to each other makes Cox' work appreciated by ranchers and cowboys, earning him over 60 magazine covers including Western Horsemen, The Cattleman and Quarter Horse Journal, gallery shows throughout the West, and a well-deserved reputation as 'The Cowboy's Painter.'

Tonya Crawford Framed Art

Tonya was born into an Air Force family, growing up on basis from Idaho to Puerto Rico.  When her father retired from the service, they settled in Ohio, where she resides today.

Blessed with a mother that always encouraged her creativity, Tonya remembers carving mice from a bar soap when she was six and making an entire winter village out of pipe cleaners at the age of nine.  As she got older and entered the job market, she created opportunities for herself and became Assistant Art Director at a very successful printing company by the age 24.  But, Tonya’s career lost steam as a better job presented itself-motherhood.  She became a stay-at-home mom doing “art jobs” as they came up.

At the age of 40, Tonya began painting the things she loves-country settings and patriotic images.  She marketed folk art paintings to several sores in Ohio and Pennsylvania.  Tonya lives on a horse farm with her husband in hero, Norman.  She is extremely proud of her four children, Stephen, Callan, Ralph, and Christian.  ‘As I paint, I watch my children grow.  Too soon they’ll be gone, this I know.  The best gifts don’t come wrapped up in a bow.”

Mark Daehlin Framed Art

Minnesota-based, Mark Daehlin is a nationally recognized artist, writer and teacher. His interests are far ranging and this native curiosity, coupled with a formidable talent and desire to grow and explore have produced an impressive body of work. Wildlife, humans and the places where they coexist are key elements of his artwork and have been his entire adult life. He is very aware of the spiritual aspect of nature and all living things.  Mark has worked in fine and commercial art for over 25 years. He studied fine art at Concordia College, Moorhead, MN and Pacific Lutheran University, Tacoma, WA.  Mark has worked with a wide variety of media: watercolor, acrylic, airbrush, pencil and oil. The exploration of different media, as well as, a variety of subject matter has resulted in a highly detailed, realistic style.

Jim Daly Framed Art

A native of Oklahoma, Daly studied art at the Art Center College of Design in Los Angeles.  His paintings are represented in permanent collection.  Daly has also received numerous awards for his artwork, including the People’s Choice Award at the Western Rendezvous of Art.  His work was also selected by the Public Communications Foundation for the nationwide PBS release of the six-part series, “The West for the imagination.”

Daly’s concern with authenticity is supported by his large studio collection of costumes and artifacts. 

Kevin Daniel Framed Art

Kevin Daniel began dabbling in paints and completing portraits as a young man in the early 1960’s. In his twenties, he began concentrating on painting animals and wildlife, discovering that people really appreciated the realism and natural beauty he brought to his subjects. Now he has turned his camera on family and friends to feature real people in his paintings. Daniel has become increasingly interested in children as subjects for his portraits, because of their innocence and carefree existence.  Daniel continues to attract a growing body of collectors. His images have also received many honors including 1991 Minnesota Wildlife Heritage Foundation Artist of the Year.

Robert Duncan Framed Art

Robert Duncan was born in Utah and began painting at age eleven. He spent summers as a boy on his grandparents' ranch in Wyoming where his grandmother gave him his first set of oil paints.  It was there that he grew to love the country, the open spaces, and the rural lifestyle.  Robert has painted professionally for 25 years.  He studied art at the University of Utah and worked as a commercial artist before his full-time dedication to the fine art of the American West.  He was elected into the Cowboy Artists of America at a young age and won two silver medals in their annual exhibition at the Phoenix Art Museum.  Robert, his wife Linda, there six children, and a lively assortment of animals reside in the small town of Midway in Northern Utah.

Gail Eads Framed Art

Gail Eads resides in southeastern Michigan.  She has five children and six grandchildren whom she loves very much and could never stop worrying about them as a mom and a grandma.  Gail owns a gift shop called “The Country Life” which features specialty furniture and gifts.  She also teaches basic acrylic painting and lettering in her shop.

Gail is a self-taught artist inspired by nature, as she loves the outdoors.  She tries to make the most out of Michigan’s shorten summer season.  In her paintings she tries to bring the outdoors “inside”, to give a feeling of freedom.  “God has given me the talent to express myself through art so therefore I try to give him the glory for it”.

Larry Fanning Framed Art

Larry Fanning is a self-taught Western and wildlife artist who was born and raised in Kansas. After working as an illustrator for the Boeing Company, he pursued a career in commercial art and graphic design before moving to California. Once there, he set his art aside while serving as a nondenominational minister for 17 years.  Shortly before moving to Colorado in 1986, Fanning resumed his career in art. Energized by the mountains and the changing seasons, his love for the West shines through his vivid paintings.  Collector demand soon outpaced his supply of paintings. Fanning’s art can now be found in private collections throughout the U.S., Canada, Europe and South America.  He is an artist who preserves the constantly forming ideas, moods and emotions that later emerge in his sought-after paintings. He always takes a camera and sketchpad with him when he travels.

 Fanning has a natural understanding of anatomy and an instinct for color. Much like an actor, who strives to make a scene come alive for an audience, Fanning endeavors to put himself into the setting he is painting. He tries to experience the crunch of the snow or the howl of the wind so that the viewer will also feel drawn into the painting and can participate in its story.

Cynthie Fisher Framed Art

Cynthie Fisher of Hamilton, Montana, works mostly in acrylic and scratchboard, making good use of her degree in zoology by concentrating on animal behaviors and interactions. A self-taught artist, Cynthie has painted professionally for 14 years, accumulating many awards along the way to national recognition. These awards include the 1988 Ohio Duck Stamp, 1991 Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation Artist of the Quarter, 1992, 1994, 1995, and 1996 Washington Ducks Unlimited Artist of the Year, 1993 Alaska Ducks Unlimited Artist of the Year, 1995 Iowa Duck Stamp Winner, 1995 Alaska Duck Stamp Winner, 1995 Colorado Duck Stamp Winner, and Top Ten in the Federal Duck Stamp Contest three out of four years, including a tie for first place in 1990. She is one of the 1996 and 1997 Ducks Unlimited National Flyway Artist, the first woman to be chosen for this nationwide award. Cynthie's artwork has graced the cover of Cabela's sporting catalog. She is also a member of the prestigious Society of Animal Artists, and exhibits her work in the national art shows nationwide every year.

Pat Fisher Framed Art

Pat began painting at an early age, encouraged by an extremely creative and self-sufficient mother.  There was no money for art lessons, but Pats mother secured materials for her.  She convinced Pat that God provided her with a gift to express her self through art.

Pat’s work reflects her pride and love for her country.  Her style brings a visually peaceful retreat to gentler, kinder times and promotes a pleasing image to those who own her prints.  Pat has been concentrating on Americana work since the early 1990’s and acknowledges Rufus Porter as her inspiration for portraying saltbox houses, churches and willow trees.  Porter’s influence began while Pat was living in New Hampshire and doing an independent study of his art.  She, like Porter is self-taught and has had her heart touched by the beauty and peace of New England country scenes.

Pat recognizes her loving and supportive family for encouraging her to step out in faith and share her talents with others.  A staunch promoter of her small Midwest community and her art, along with that and other artist, has prompted pat and her family to create a local business called Antiques and Art.  She hopes he efforts will encourage other small businesses designed to attract tourists and help breathe life back into the community.  She also whishes other local artist will be bolstered by her experience and success to pursue and share their individual talents.

Pat’s work includes her American prints, wallpaper borders, kitchen accessories and an assortment of crafts.  Husband, Joe, and Pat love to travel around this wonderful country to meet other artist, and buyers of her own beloved art.

Charles Freitag Framed Art

Freitag is a native Iowan, born and raised on a small farm in the heartland of rural America. Growing up on the family farm gave him deep appreciation for his natural surroundings, and can be found in his paintings of yester year.  During high school, Chuck excelled at art, and took his dream of becoming a full time artist one step further when he enrolled at Hawkeye Community College after graduation. While there, he earned honors before finishing his degree at the Academy of Art in Chicago.

His favorite illustrator, Norman Rockwell, inspires Chucks work. 

This inspiration can be seen in his paintings, with his meticulous attention to detail, and the subtle composition and coloring of all the facets of the painting. With numerous magazine covers and awards, Chuck is quickly becoming one of America's most highly sought after artists. His work can be found in galleries and collectors homes across the U.S., Canada, and internationally. At the age of thirty-one, Chuck is happily married, a father of three and resides in Reinbeck, Iowa.

Dale Gehrman Framed Art

Dale Gerhman's love of art started at the early age of thirteen. After graduating from the Cornish School of Art in Seattle, Washington, Dale began his career as a commercial artist. Over the next several years, he authored several art instruction books and videos. During this time he taught art classes across the US and Canada. For the past thirty years, Dale has been capturing the delicate moods of nature with a dramatic portrayal of light. He has developed a technique that embraces both detail and realism while striving to capture one's emotions through this style. Many of Dale's paintings come from real life experiences that reveal how intensely he loves nature.

Dale Gehrman passed away in June of 1998, at the young age of 43.  Dale taught his wife, Rose Gehrman, the fundamentals of oil painting and they would often paint side-by-side overlooking the same spectacular views.

Derk Hansen Framed Art

Born in Germany, Derk Hansen immigrated to the United States in 1966 and now resides jointly in Hawaii and Minnesota. Derk began painting in 1968 and has been painting professionally for three decades. Derk's artistry is evident in his oil, watercolor, and acrylic paintings and his pencil drawings (five "Best of Show" drawing awards) as well as his numerous wildlife and nature videos. He was also the recipient of the James Younger Award for excellence in historical illustration. Derk preferred medium is oil on canvas and the favored subject matters are wildlife, landscapes and western art. Stunning composition, exquisite detail and realism are the hallmarks of his work.  Derk has more then 150 limited edition lithographs and collector prints plus over two dozen limited edition collector plates to his credit. There are also scores of incentive and special commission art products on the market bearing his name. Thousands of collectors worldwide enjoy his work.

Jim Hansel Framed Art

In this part of the country, we are blessed with so many talented wildlife artists. Jim Hansel is not only talented, but he has had to overcome special challenges to paint so beautifully.  The outside world that Jim Hansel sees is not the one we see. At an early age, Jim was diagnosed with an eye condition called Stargardts. The eye condition, which has stabilized, left Jim legally blind from an early age. Despite his disability, Jim has learned to overcome his visual limitations. Through the use of magnifiers and low vision aids, Jim brings his work into focus. Jim also relies on his camera to capture his ideas. Like many other artists, Jim uses photographs of his wildlife models to bring the landscape he sees back to his studio. At this point, Jim will enlarge the images if it is necessary, for him to see them more clearly.  However, snapping pictures is not the same as painting original oils. Amazingly, Hansel's brush strokes create detailed moments in nature that his eyes cannot clearly see. With the use of low vision aids, Jim's paintings are now in focus, but only a few square inches at a time. Hansel believes that due to his vision, he spends more time on a painting adding more detail than many other artists do. He has spent as much as four months on one individual painting.  Jim has said he wants his artwork to be judged on its own merit and not on the basis that he is an artist with a visual impairment. This determination had launched Hansel into the national spotlight. In just a few short years, Jim has released over seventy limited-edition prints, many of which are sold out. His reputation for detail and his distinctive colorful landscapes have proven to be very popular with art collectors across the country.  Jim has been commissioned several times by Ducks Unlimited to produce the Minnesota D.U. Print of the Year. He has been a finalist in the Minnesota Deer Hunters Association print competition six times, and received the People's Choice Award in 1994. Jim has been commissioned by Pheasants Forever, and for a couple of his prints as well.  Jim Hansel’s great passion is in wildlife and the outdoors. His focus is on combining wildlife subjects with interesting and colorful landscapes and his greatest talent is recognizing the unique characteristics of nature and describing it in paint.  When not putting brush to canvas Hansel can be found with his family, fishing, hunting, or just enjoying the panoramic view. He’s a sportsman at heart and enjoys all outdoor activities.  In 1992 Jim Hansel was commissioned by Minnesota Ducks Unlimited to produce their Minnesota Print of the Year, “Autumn Ringnecks.” In the same year, he also produced the Minnesota Deer Hunters Association sponsor print, “River Bottom Buck.”

Dan Hatala Framed Art

Like many kids growing up in the Midwest, Dan Hatala spent much of his time hunting and fishing or just being outside in the woods at every possible opportunity. Not only was the outdoors a big part of his life, but his fascination with art began to appear at an early age.

Dan spent the first 10 years of his career as an art director in two Midwest agencies. He then spent the next 11 years as a senior illustrator at a well-known illustration studio where his attention to detail was sought after for highly technical projects. Hatala is not only an illustrator of wild life, but he spent the last 15 years painting technical, automotive and product commercial illustrations for agencies nationwide. Dan's reputation began to grow as a talented illustrator because of his ability to paint and compose highly detailed images. This ability has also earned him the honor of being selected as an illustrator for the United States Air Force.

Dan has been successfully working out of his own studio in rural Waverly, Iowa for the last 3 years where he lives with his wife and their two children. This rural life style still allows Dan the time and freedom to be outdoors and enjoy the life he knew as a child growing up in the Midwest.

Ray Hendershot Framed Art

Ray Hendershot has been producing artwork in one form or another for the better part of his life. For some time, however, this work had to play second fiddle to his primary career in the ceramics industry where he held various positions, including engineering manager of new product development and senior principal scientist for American Olean Tile Company. During these years, Ray spent as much time as possible working on his art techniques and developing his painting style. Through participation in local art fairs and exhibitions, he was able to build a reputation and a demand for his work.

It was not until his retirement in 1991 that Ray was able to put his artwork first and achieve great exposure through national and international exhibitions and competitions. Since that time he has achieved numerous accomplishments, including signature membership status in the American Watercolor Society, The Pennsylvania Watercolor Society, the National Acrylic Painters Association (based in Birmingham, England) and recent induction into the National Watercolor Society. He also was selected to be in the top one hundred artists of the National Parks "Arts for the Parks" competition. He has had many successful solo gallery shows, and is the author of Texture Techniques for Winning Watercolors (North Light Books).

Vicki Huffman Framed Art

Vicki is a lifelong resident of Ohio.  She lives with her three children, Parker, Caleb and Kelsey.  Vicki has always loved art from an early age and has collected versus, quotes and old sayings for as long as she can remember.  She also loves fabric and vintage textiles of all kinds.

When Vicki was expecting her third child, she found a way to combine her love of old sayings and fabric.  She started stitching primitive wool appliqué pictures, reproduction samplers and stitched verses that she sold to a few local stores.  She is very grateful for her ability to create artwork and stay home with her children.  Vicki agrees with Franklin D. Roosevelt when he wrote “Happiness lies in the joy of achievement and the thrill of creative effort”.

Alan Hunt Framed Art

Hunt's artist life began in earnest after others showed a great deal of interest in his paintings. Over the years he has exhibited his work in museums, galleries and other locales worldwide. His wildlife art hangs in public and private collections.

A devoted conservationist, Alan Hunt is constantly seeking new ways to help environmental groups raise funds. He now concentrates his work solely on endangered species in order to bring their plight to the attention of as many people as possible. Beyond his art, Hunt makes whatever financial contributions he can to those conservation causes, which match his interests and concerns. "I'm particularly pleased to be associated with NWF Editions," said Hunt, "because the net proceeds of my work will go directly to help solve environmental problems."

"If my son doesn't get to see half the wildlife in his lifetime that I've seen, I'll feel very guilty. Rather than become famous as a painter, I would like to be remembered as someone who tried to make people aware of the need to protect the environment and the planet."

Kathy Jennings Framed Art

Kathy Jennings resides in the southwest portion of the state of Virginia, in a region celebrated for its Appalachian Mountain culture.  Both side of her family have inhabited this wild and beautiful area for more then 200 years.  Kathy believes her desire to create is the direct result of heritage from the resourceful and expressive people who’s origins stem from the British Isles.  The traditional mountain folk stories, art and music are still actively passed through the generations.

Kathy started painting with oils on canvas at the age 12.  This became her preferred medium for 25 years.  As the art became her profession, Kathy learned to use watercolors and acrylic paints for expediency.  Making visual images has always been a basic nature of her being.  Her art education and techniques are mostly self-taught. 

Kathy describes herself as an observer of nature.  The images she creates naturally contain things with life in them.  Kathy has a true fascination with the human face, but she especially loves animals.  She believes her artistic abilities are a gift from a higher source.  With this belief, she feels a responsibility to accentuate the sunny side of life.

 In recent years Kathy’s artwork has been reproduced on a variety of commercial products such as: dishes, pillows, rugs, throws, trivets, photo albums, needlework kits, fabric, and wallpaper.  Last year she was honored to have her work featured on the cover of the Country Register of Virginia.

Mary Ann June Framed Art

Mary Ann was born in Weirton, West Virginia, a small town along the Ohio River.  The main industry at that time was Weirton Steel, an integrated steel maker that employed just about everybody.  But early on in her life, Mary Ann knew she wanted something more for herself so she started doing sketches of rock artist and other popular figures while still in grade school.

Mary Ann entered and won her first contest in junior high for designing a poster for the “King and I”.  And from then on she never looked back.

When Mary Ann lost her sister Barbara after a prolonged illness, she set her brushes down and didn’t paint again until after her marriage.  With the encouragement of her husband, Mary Ann picked up picked her brushes back up and made up for lost time.  Now she is back where she wants to be and with God’s grace Mary Ann will never set her brushes down again.

Rick Kelly Framed Art

Rick Kelley’s wildlife and African art is a visual journal of his life travels, experiences, and adventures. Every creation evokes a fond memory of the wildlife Rick admires, preserves, and respects.  Rick's approach is to capture the emotion in each animal, whether it is the serenity of the loon, the majesty of the bald eagle, or the stealth power of the gray wolf. These visions and strong emotions coupled with Kelley's scientifically, historically, and proportionately correct images have made him a nationally recognized and critically acclaimed wildlife artist.  Rick began his quest to be an artist out of a love for nature at the early age of ten.  He continued to paint through school, and after graduation, Kelley took advantage of his father's transfer to Montana. There he used Montana's beauty as a backdrop and inspiration for his work. After studying at Eastern Montana University, Rick set out on his own. Less than ten years later in 1980, he began painting professionally — full time.  An avid outdoorsman and naturalist, Rick Kelley donates much of his artwork to conservation fund-raising efforts and other charitable organizations. To date, over $12 million has been raised in Kelley print sales for Ducks Unlimited, a non-profit wildlife organization. "Ducks Unlimited is an outstanding organization that is impressive in their dedication to protecting wildlife and natural habitats. “It is an honor to have my art work supporting such a worthy cause," said Kelley.

Andrew Kiss Framed Art

Andrew is one of Canada's most recognized nature artists for a style that captures both breathless images and a reverence for realism.   A lover of the outdoors, Kiss often captures his subjects on film and sketches and then uses them as a springboard for his imagination, combining the elements of many photos, sketches and field studies as reference material to form his compositions.  Born in Hungary in 1946, he and his family immigrated to Canada in 1957. After arriving on the East Coast of Canada, their journey eventually led them to Vancouver Island, Cowichan Lake area in BC. Although Kiss spent his early adulthood employed as a draftsman, his love of art was always with him and after being transferred to the BC interior town of Mackenzie in 1974, more and more of his free time was spent in pursuit of his art and the wildlife that spawned its inspiration.  He has had over 110 editions, (all sold out) in print and his originals are sought the world over. Andrew and his wife Lynn reside in the city of Armstrong in the North Okanagan Valley.

His art and dedication to conservation has led to many prestigious awards including being named Ducks Unlimited Artist of the Year for 2002, the first ever two-time winner, Also best of show in Spokane in 2002 among 100+ artists.  In 1999, he earned the People's Choice Award among some 80 artists taking part in the Calgary Art Essential Show. It is an award imbued with special meaning for Kiss.

Annie LaPoint Framed Art

Annie LaPoint loved to draw and paint at an early age.  In high school she loved her art classes and received private art instruction as a teenager.

In 1991, soon after the birth of her third child, Annie began to study the technique of watercolors at a local art league.  Her instructor’s focus was on painting landscape, but from the beginning all Annie wanted to paint was pots of ivy and flowers.

Her passion for gardening is reflected in all of her artwork.  Annie is best known for her rich watercolors, mossy terracotta pots and urns filled with ivy topiaries, flowering bulbs and blooms of all kinds.  If you look carefully you will find a scripture reference from the bible tucked away in every painting.

James Lee Framed Art

James Lee is a renowned artist of extraordinary talent. A native of South Korea, James moved to the United States in 1981 and since then has made a name for himself in the art world, especially in Los Angeles and the New York area where he has shown in many art shows and expos. For over ten years, James has run a successful art business, selling his own original works in both of the galleries he now owns. Lee's artistic talent is reflected in the rich detail that fills his realistic paintings. He enjoys a variety of subjects but the true beauty in his artwork appears to be in his romantic landscapes. James believes that some people are born with artfulness, and he feels truly blessed with the talent he has been given.

Randy McGovern Framed Art

Randy grew up in New Orleans.  One day his fourth grade teacher, Sr. Helene saw him draw a horse and buggy and then advised his parents to give him art lessons.  Every Thursday, Randy would get on a bus and ride across the city to his art lesson.  That year (1964) Randy won a citywide art contest and the grand prize of $5, which proved to be an incentive to continue.  He studied first under a European portraitist from Sicily, Mrs. Donatella Kypers and later more closely under Mrs. R.T. Perkins also a master portraitist.  Meanwhile, Randy's other hobby was snake hunting in the swamps and marshes of Louisiana and selling them to the snake farm in LaPlace, Louisiana was that of trapping At age 21, he graduated from the University of Southwestern Louisiana with a B.A. in advertising, but in 1983 launched a career in fine art instead.  Randy has earned acclaim from sportsmen and collectors alike, both nationally and internationally.  By taking the demanding accuracy of the wildlife painter and combining it with the discriminating talent of a trained and gifted artist, he has become one of the nation's most beloved realists in just a few short years.

Nenand Mirkovich Framed Art

The man whose first name means, “surprise” in his native language delivers that element in his paintings of tranquil landscapes, crashing coastlines, peaceful symphonies and energetic jazz bands. Collectors of all ages and of varied lifestyles find something in the diverse repertoire of Nenand Mirkovich to delight the senses. He delights himself with the reactions of viewers when they discover that the same artist painted all these scenes.

Mirkovich says the varied subject matter and styles he uses in his work are not so different as they first seem, however. His paintings comprise juxtapositions of opposites—high drama with peaceful beauty, darkness and shadow with light and sunshine, movement with quiet. In a face or in a landscape, the elements that provide the surprise are much the same.

Born in Belgrade, Mirkovich, now 51, has made his home in Houston, Texas, since 1985. "He began painting and drawing as a young child, and his background as a portrait painter and magazine illustrator in Yugoslavia helped him to develop his varied styles," says his wife Donna.

Stephan Lyman Framed Art

Stephan was an explorer who specialized in painting the most elusive moments in nature. His work was inspired by the writing and teaching of famous naturalist John Muir. Lyman's love of the outdoors stemmed from a childhood spent in the Pacific Northwest, where hiking in Snake River country was a regular family ritual.

Lyman's desire to share his admirations for the outdoors was strong, but he enrolled in the Art Center School of Design in Pasadena, California, to learn more about the commercial art field. He started his career as a commercial illustrator in Los Angeles and soon realized that the "call of the wild" was stronger than the lure of the city.

Lyman shared his wonder with a growing legion of collectors since 1983, when The Greenwich Workshop published his first limited edition. He participated in the prestigious international "Birds in Art" show at the Leigh Yawkey Woodson Art Museum, was invited to be "Artist of the Year" at the 1991 Pacific Rim Wildlife Art Show, and then received the rare honor of being invited back as an "Encore Artist" at the 1995 event.

Stephan Lyman died tragically on April 16, 1996, from a hiking accident in the place he loved most outside of his own home: Yosemite National Park. His love of the world and his ability to communicate it to us through his paintings and photographs will inspire us for the rest of our lives.

He had been recently named one of the top artists in the country by U.S. Art magazine and his book, Stephen Lyman: An Artist's Journey, was published to unanimous acclaim in the autumn of 1995.

Kim Norlien Framed Art

Breathtaking realism, creativity, perseverance, as well as a personal commitment to excellence, have garnered Kim Norlien wide appeal from collectors and artists alike. Norlien is known for his attention to detail. Using a combination of hand painting and airbrush, each painting is lovingly handcrafted. Kim takes inspiration for his paintings from his midwestern surroundings.  After high school, Norlien studied Commercial Art where he quickly rose to the top of his class. Following his graduation, Norlien spent the next eight years working as a commercial artist for Honeywell key lining technical manuals, cartooning, and hand drawing military scenes.  In 1986, Norlien resigned his position at Honeywell to become a freelance illustrator. His work for national companies, including Musicland, General Mills, Carlson Companies, Honeywell and 3M among others, won him awards and national recognition.  His resignation not only led to a successful freelance career, but also allowed Norlien the opportunity to begin painting on a part-time basis. His first published print was released in 1991. Since then he has published ten other prints with diverse subjects including wild animals and birds, as well as domestic animals and nostalgic scenes.  Norlien's work has garnered numerous awards and honors. In 1997, he was invited to be featured as the spotlight artist for the Wildlife Heritage Art Show. He has received Best of Show awards, including one from the National Wildlife Art Show, and the 1996 People's Choice award at the Wildlife Heritage Art Show.

Greg Olsen Framed Art

The art of Greg Olson illuminates the soul and spirit of its subjects and uplifts the hearts and minds of its viewers.  Olson's diverse interests are deftly demonstrated in oil paintings that range from the realistic and historical to the whimsical.  His luminous, delicate portraits capture not only his subject's likeness, but their spirit as well.  Landscapes of scenes from America and the world over reflect the perfect beauty of the mind eye.  Born in 1958, Olson was raised in a farming community in rural Idaho.  His parents, artists themselves, recognized and encouraged his early love of drawing.  Later, the devoted tutelage of a high school teacher cemented his affinity and enhanced his technical ability.  After studying illustration at Utah State University, he was hired as an in-house illustrator in Salt Lake City, working on anything from murals and dioramas to simple paste-up.  Two years later, he followed a friend's advice and began painting full-time.  Sales from his first show only just covered the cost of refreshments and invitations, but yielded the first of many commissions that were to come.  Today, Greg Olson lives in Utah.  His oil paintings of children and inspirational subjects have been published by Mill Pond Press since 1993 and are also part of Mill Pond's Visions of Faith line.  Says Greg, “Art’s greatest purpose is just to make us happy.  I take a lot of pleasure in painting and hope that pleasure is contagious to those who look at my art.”

Diane Romanello Framed Art

A native New Yorker, Diane Romanello was born in 1944 on the West Side of Manhattan. A self-taught artist, she began showing her natural talent at a very young age and was encouraged by her older brother to pursue a career in the arts. Her paintings are characterized by a gracefulness that beckons the viewer into a dreamy landscape of an idealized world. Seascapes, garden paths, or lakefronts in the countryside are some of Diane's most popular subjects. This coupled with the soothing color palette and luxurious brushstrokes of her work create a freshness that is quite unique. These images represent a special place in our mind's eye that conjure up cherished memories of times past. The artist's aspiration is simply stated: "I want the viewer to feel as though they can step right into my work."

Bill Saunders Framed Art

Bill started sketching at the age of four and painting when he was twelve. The scenery of Quebec was the source of this Montreal native's inspiration. Rural scenes and rustic surroundings came alive with his brush. He painted the farmlands of Quebec and Ontario capturing the timeless serenity of an aged farmhouse on a lonely country road or a sugar shack hidden in a forest of maples. Realism is Bill's featured approach. His paintings capture the smallest details, preserving scenes of a quiet, compelling world. Saunders' work can be found in galleries and private collections throughout Canada and parts of the United States.

Peter Sculthorpe Framed Art

Peter Sculthorpe's (1948-) paintings celebrate the rural landscape, particularly the stone barns and rolling pastures of the Brandywine Valley in Chester County, Pennsylvania, where he resides. The quality of light in his compositions is pristine, yet the paintings suggest reality without being either sentimental or nostalgic. "My work is directly related to what I have observed in nature. The act of transcription is enhanced by what has been retained in my memory - the visual impact and the necessary elements. I feel the artist's true signature manifests itself when the combination of recollect and invention are tempered with reality."  Qualities of ambiguity, complexity and tension that pervade his artwork give range and subtle inflection to his imagery. Using the demanding medium of watercolor, he manipulates light and form, giving his paintings a dramatic, romantic, yet natural tone. In addition, the artist is inspired by exploring a variety of other media including etching, monotype and stone lithography, each of which is related to his painting by virtue of his masterful drawing.

Daniel Smith Framed Art

Daniel Smith, one of America's foremost nature artists, enjoys wide acclaim for his spectacular depictions of landscapes and wildlife.  Smith lives in the mountains of Montana where artistic inspiration surrounds him. He has been painting full time for over twenty years and has had more than 100 of his paintings reproduced as limited edition prints. He began his career designing conservation stamps. He has designed more than thirty stamps including the 1988-89 Federal Duck Stamp and was selected as Ducks Unlimited International Artist of the Year for the second time in 2002. In 2003 he received three prestigious awards from the Society of Animal Artists.  Smith travels frequently to research his subjects in their natural habitat, believing that there is no substitute for personal experience in the field. He says of his work, "I want people to experience the peace, the tranquility of the wilderness, of being the only one out they’re, communing with nature." An ardent supporter of wildlife conservation, he feels indebted to the natural world that has provided him with the sole inspiration for his award-winning career.

Scot Storm Framed Art

A life-long interest in drawing and sketching led Scot to venture into wildlife art. In 1987 he enjoyed his first recognition as an artist when he was awarded second place in the Minnesota duck stamp contest. He was further acknowledged as a painter of note when he won the 1991 pheasant stamp contest in the state of Indiana. While broadening his portfolio by entering stamp contests, Scot has created original and commissioned works and currently has a number of collector print editions. Raised in the woods and waters of northern Minnesota wilderness, Scot grew up with a studied appreciation of his natural surroundings. He enjoys his country's forests, grassland and wetlands. He continues to find himself venturing into it not only for field studies and photographic shoots but sometimes just for the pure enjoyment of being out in nature. Scot spends countless hours studying the subject of his paintings, but he also devotes special attention to the detail of the environments in which they are found.

Bob Timberlake Framed Art

Bob Timberlake’s quick rise to success is every artist’s dream. A painter since childhood, it wasn’t until he was 33 that he was encouraged to become a full-time artist by an impromptu visit to Andrew Wyeth’s home in Chadds Ford, Pennsylvania.  He left his family’s business, concentrated on his painting and only one year and six days later visited Hammer Galleries in New York with his paintings tucked under his arm. Innocent to the ways of the big city, Timberlake walked into the prestigious gallery without an appointment and as luck would have it, was accepted by Victor Hammer on-the-spot to become a gallery artist. Since then, his rise has been meteoric.  The rustic homes, old quilts and rocking chairs that we see in his paintings are touching reminders of America’s past, but it is his own brand of philosophy that is reflected in his artwork.  In addition to painting, Timberlake’s creative output has been licensed for furniture, house wares and a variety of other products. Timberlake designed a Christmas stamp for the U.S. Postal Service in 1980. They were so pleased with the results, the artist was asked to design both the South Carolina and North Carolina statehood stamps. Recognition of Bob Timberlake’s artistic talent and humanitarianism has come from many people, organizations, and museums worldwide.

Carl Valente Framed Art

Carl Valente’s talent was discovered at the age of 17 when he won a National Art Contest receiving a scholarship to the Cleveland Art Institute. He worked for the Los Angeles Herald Examiner, where he was a staff-artist, illustrator and designer of the Sunday color magazines, including California Living and TV Weekly for 22 years. Upon leaving the commercial field, he turned to creating oils on canvas, focusing on landscapes, seascapes and still life. Original works were sold to galleries nationwide as collectors recognized his talent. In the late 1960’s, Valente joined Bently House where his work is published and distributed throughout the United States and abroad.  In the late eighties, using oil as an exclusive medium, American impressionist Carl Valente recreated in traditional form timeless scenes of the peaceful American countryside along with English cottages and villages of the British countryside. Archways of climbing plants entwine around brilliantly colored shrubs that frame quaint thatched cottages. The artist's landscapes are offerings from different seasons, from a palette of varying colors.

Charles H White Framed Art

Charles White born in Quebec. Charles H. White displayed an early interest in art and by the age of ten had won his first national art contest. Selling many of his works while still in his teens, White decided to further refine his artistic talents and business skills at Brigham Young University.  After graduating, he began a 20-year sales career and painted as an avocation. In 1994, when income from his art exceeded earnings from his sales position, he decided to pursue a career as a painter.  Each of White’s composition is classically crafted with attention to the principles of design, color, value and contrast. His time-consuming techniques create a luminous, multi-layered work that welcomes viewers into a world of tranquil beauty and elegance.  Over the years, White has won many awards at juried shows. In a recent issue of U.S. ART, he was noted as an "Artist to Watch," “Art for the Parks” has selected his work for three consecutive years. His originals are collected around the world from New York to Japan and various European countries.

David Lorenz Winston Art

David Lorenz Winston studied photography at Pennsylvania State University where he received a BA in art in 1965. His unique, images emanate from a lifelong love of the natural landscape and human nature. David's discerning vision has taken him to many places, including, Siberia, Peru, India, Nepal, Tibet, Greece, Portugal and Nova Scotia. He has also traveled widely in The United States. His images have been exhibited in numerous one man shows and group exhibits along the Eastern Seaboard of the United States where he has received many first place and best of show awards. Winston's work has been featured on many calendars published by Pomegranate Art Books and Brown Trout Publishers. UNICEF, The National Wildlife Federation, Hallmark and Recycled Paper Products have used his photographs for holiday and special occasion greeting cards as well as calendars.