Daniel Smith: Taking Wildlife Realism To The Next Level
By Todd Wilkinson

Yet it is almost as if Dan Smith, the painter, has lived two separate lives: There is Smith, the internationally known "Duck Stamp Artist" who once won the most prestigious sporting art competition in the U.S. and who became one of the most collected wildlife artists by the masses who bought prints with his images on them. And then there is Smith, the studio painter, who has methodically produces a relatively small number of originals each year for private collectors—works that the public seldom sees, except when they appear in museum exhibitions like this one.

While Smith delights most in discussing his latest artistic challenges in his pursuit of what he considers the one true elusive masterpiece, it would be a profound oversight to not elaborate on the impact he made to popularizing wildlife art through the federal Duck Stamp program that has served as a cornerstone of American efforts to protect habitat for millions of game birds and countless other species. In 1987, Smith's portrayal of snow geese was selected from a thousand entries to adorn the official waterfowl stamp that comes with the purchase of a federal license, the proceeds of which for nearly 80 years have helped safeguard millions of acres of wetlands from Canada to Mexico. What must be noted is that on top of the millions of Duck Stamps sold, thousands of lithographic reproductions, hand signed by Smith, were sold through the Wild Wings Galleries and generated millions of dollars more for conservation, expanding locally-based partnerships with Ducks Unlimited and the Delta Waterfowl Foundation.

"When I look back at that era, I am amazed at the level of importance the federal stamp had. For many, many people, duck stamp prints were the first investment millions of people made in putting decorative art on their walls and it set them off down the path of having greater appreciation for art in general," Dan says. "I was in the right place at the right time. What satisfies me most is helping people realize the value that nature has no matter whey they call home."