“Drawing animals has always been an impulse or me. It’s been my pastime of choice for as long as I can remember, but I knew I wanted it to be my profession when my painting of a redhead drake won the 2006-2007 Federal Junior Duck Stamp Contest when I was 15 years old (my last name was Nastav at the time). I still enter the Federal Duck Stamp Contest each year. The program has greatly expanded my knowledge and appreciation of waterfowl and wildlife conservation. My work has had the honor of being featured on the Nevada State Duck Stamp, the National Duck Stamp Collectors Society Stamp for multiple years, and has placed second in the Federal Duck Stamp contest. I also had the privilege of being a featured artist in the 2016 film The Million Dollar Duck (which aired on Animal Planet ), a suspenseful feature length documentary about the unique world behind the Federal Duck Stamp Contest, directed and produced by Brian Golden Davis. Since my early involvement in conservation stamp programs and through the numerous connections with other artists, photographers, hunters and outdoor enthusiasts, my scope has broadened to all kinds of wildlife from around the world. One of my first honors was becoming an associate member of the Society of Animal Artists, along with receiving the Roger Tory Peterson Institute Award of Excellence in 2019. Other honors include the Society of Animal Artists 2020 Members Exhibition, having my work shortlisted for the 2021 David Shepherd Wildlife Foundation Wildlife Artist of the Year, and invitations to show my work at the Easton Waterfowl Festival, the Southeastern Wildlife Exposition and the Mountain Oyster Club Contemporary Western Art show and sale.
Rebekah with the cast and director of “The Million Dollar Duck”
I choose to paint wildlife not only because I grew up hunting and exploring the Missouri outdoors which led to my innate love for nature, but also because I believe that animals, particularly wild ones, are nature’s masterworks and are the ultimate display of beauty, creative expression and life. By immersing myself into the animals and their habitats, I can escape the pressures that come with the self-aware human mind. Painting animals forces a close observation of anatomy, how each part flows into the next, and how light reveals every form and texture. My work aims to provide the viewer with a personal connection to a world that thrives apart from our presence, featuring wildlife from Alaska to Africa and everything in between. My hunger for adventure has led to incredible wildlife encounters in these places, which is the source of the passion that drives me to share those experiences through my work. The process of creating art has proven to be much more than sitting down to start a painting; it’s become an entire lifestyle full of risk, wonder and excitement.
I learned to paint in acrylics but later transitioned to oils as my primary medium, although occasionally I experiment with other various mediums. I like to choose compositions that are unique and memorable, and I often look for ways to convey my subjects from a new perspective. Like the individuality of each particular animal, every piece of art I create has its own originality and impression. As an artist I will always strive to do my subjects justice with each new piece.
Besides painting, I have taken on other endeavors that each seem to support and interpret each other in some way. I’ve been playing the violin most of my life, and currently play for local weddings on occasion. in 2021 I earned my private pilot license which has allowed me to take my exploration and sense of adventure to quite literally a new level. Painting, music and flying share so many parallels that often occur to me out of nowhere. I like to think of them as a three-legged stool which is the platform for my creativity and sense of accomplishment. Whether it’s with a paintbrush, a bow across a string or the wings of an airplane, my goal is to always keep moving in the right direction and give magic a chance to happen.
I currently reside in Deepwater, Missouri with my husband Olen, a cat, a dog, a macaw and two horses. I have been working part-time as a substitute rural carrier for USPS since 2011, and Olen works as a full-time rural carrier while also running our cattle farm. When I’m not hauling mail, I’m busy creating art and finding new ways to reveal nature’s masterpieces.”