Daniel Smith
Daniel Smith, one of America’s foremost nature artists, enjoys wide acclaim for his spectacular depictions of landscape and wildlife.
Born in Minnesota and now residing in Bozeman, Montana where the rugged peaks of the Gallatin Range are the only thing separating him from Yellowstone National Park, he is inspired by his surroundings. One of the most rewarding and inspiring elements of his work is the fieldwork. It is the genesis of all of his paintings. Smith is passionate about his subjects and travels frequently seeking artistic inspiration.
Smith has been painting full time for over twenty years and has had over 100 of his paintings reproduced as limited edition prints. He began his career designing conservation stamps. He has designed over thirty stamps including the 1988-89 Federal Duck Stamp and was recently selected as Ducks Unlimited International Artist of the Year for the second time.
Smith has won numerous awards from the Society of Animal Artists and has been chosen Artist of the Year for several conservation organizations. Smith has used his art to aid and endorse many conservation efforts. He received the 2009 Harrison Eiteljorg Museum Purchase Award, the 2007 Artist of Distinction award from the Eiteljorg Museum and the 2008 People’s Choice Award at Western Visions. He exhibits at several museum shows including the Autry National Center, the Eiteljorg Museum, the National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum and the Leigh Yawkey Woodson Art Museum.
The detail and scientific accuracy of Smith’s art caught the eyes of organizations such as the National Geographic Society, who commissioned him to paint five color plates for “The Field Guide to the Birds of North America”, and the prestigious “Birds in Art” exhibition sponsored by the Leigh Yawkey Woodson Art Museum. In 1996 he was inducted into the “U.S. Art Hall of Fame” due to his great popularity among print collectors.
Smith travels frequently to research his subjects in their natural habitat. He believes there is no substitute for personal experience in the field. He has had a lifetime fascination with Africa saying, “The primal strife between predator and prey makes me feel like I have stepped back in time. It is like no other ecosystem in the world.”
Smith is also 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.