Drawing animals has been my pastime of choice for as long as I can remember, since I spent most of my childhood exploring the outdoors and learning to care for a variety of pets and livestock. Because I was exposed to fishing and hunting at an early age, I developed great sense of responsibility to care for and conserve both wildlife and habitat as well as an appreciation for our current model of conservation–especially after learning about Federal Duck Stamps. I knew I wanted wildlife art 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. I still continue to enter the Federal Duck Stamp Contest each year. The Duck Stamp program has greatly expanded my knowledge and appreciation of waterfowl and wildlife conservation and remains the most successful government conservation program in the US. 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 twice. In 2016, I was a featured artist in the 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 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 being juried into the Society of Animal Artists (SAA) along with receiving a Roger Tory Peterson Institute Award of Excellence in 2019 at the SKB workshop. Other honors include multiple SAA museum exhibitions and inclusion into the into the prestigious Birds In Art exhibition at the Leigh Yawkey Woodson art museum in Wausau, Wisconsin (2024-2026). I have also participated in the Easton Waterfowl Festival, the Southeastern Wildlife Exposition, the Mountain Oyster Club Art Show, Settler’s West Galleries shows, Legacy Gallery‘s Annual Small Works Show, and Small Works, Great Wonders.
Rebekah with the cast and director of “The Million Dollar Duck”
I choose to paint wildlife not only because I grew up exploring the Missouri outdoors which led to my 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 daily 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, creating a window into both majestic and intimate moments in nature that we are seldom fortunate enough to witness in person. My work features wildlife from Alaska to Africa and everywhere in between. My hunger for adventure has led to incredible wildlife encounters in these places, which is what drives me to share those experiences through my paintings. 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 in my Junior Duck Stamp days, but later transitioned to oils as my primary medium. I like to choose compositions that are unique and memorable, and I often look for ways to convey my subjects from a new and sometimes abstract 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. I’ve enjoyed playing music (guitar and violin) since high school, and occasionally play at local gigs and weddings. 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. I currently reside in Deepwater, Missouri with my husband Olen and work part-time as a substitute rural carrier for the US Postal Service. 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.