Hailed as one of the nation’s premier wildlife artists, the path Montana-based painter Daniel Smith traveled in reaching this position of renown has been one of dedication and evolution. Born in Mankato, Minnesota, in 1954, he says he was genetically infused with a love of art and nature thanks to his father, an inveterate outdoorsman, who used his own wood-burning skills to give visual testimony to his inherent love for wildlife. He goes a step further, saying that same gene seems to have been passed on to his son, Adam.

“After dabbling with art a bit in high school, at the age of 22 Adam came to me, saying he wanted to see if he had a talent for painting,” Smith says. “I loaned him a photograph of an African lion as a reference. When he showed me his completed image, my first thought was, “Oh my god, it looks like I painted it. Adam’s style is very similar to mine, which is not always the greatest thing, since we do a lot of shows together, however, we try to avoid painting the same subject, and people with a discerning eye can always tell our work apart.”

Smith’s own ascent into world of art was more gradual. Studies in commercial art led him to pursue a career as an illustrator. “This commercial work was a great training ground, not only in the basics but also in learning discipline and the importance of meeting a deadline,” he says.

Daniel Smith (Montana)

Austere Ascent
Acrylic
34″x26″

“Mountain goats are exceptionally adept at thriving in steep, rocky terrain. Their habitat provides a safe haven from predators that don’t possess their technical climbing skills. Avalanches and rock slides pose the biggest threat to these mountain denizens’ mortality.”

Daniel Smith (Montana)

Life Below Zero
Acrylic
16″x24″

“In 2012, I took an extensive research trip to Cape Churchill for the study of polar bears. It was a phenomenal and fruitful experience that has generated numerous paintings. These trips are one of the many blessings I experience as part of my job.”