Larry Zabel was born in Deer Creek, Minnesota and as a boy spent his time drawing and carving. Today this well-known and well-respected artist lives and works on his ranch in McAllister, Montana, just 70 miles from Yellowstone.
Zabel started his career by earning a degree in art from Long Beach State, then spent a year studying art at Mexico City College. He then worked in commercial art and began documenting activities at the Naval Weapons Center in California.
In 1988, Larry and his wife Sharon moved to Montana. "Montana has the things that I fantasize about... cowboys, Indians, and grizzly bears", says Zabel. At first, Zabel focused on cowboys and Indians as his subject, but now has started painting a wide variety of wildlife found in Montana. Larry Zabel's work has earned him numerous awards including Best Painting at the Charlie Russel Auction Show and Artist of the Year at the Southern Maryland Wildlife Festival.
He was chosen as a panelist for the National Endowment for the Arts and has shown his works in such prestigious places as the Salmagundi Club, the Hollyhock House, the White House, the Smithsonian, the Pentagon, and the office of Senator Conrad Burns in Washington D.C.
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Achievements:
Fish, Wildlife, and Parks Centennial Artist, 2001
Won "Peoples Choice Award" at the C.M. Russell Show, Grest Falls, MT 1998
Continued to hold record price for art sale, Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation, Salt Lake 1997
Won "Peoples Choice Award" at the C.M. Russell Show, Great Falls, MT 1996
Set record price for art sale, Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation, Reno 1996
Artist of the year, Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation, March 1996
One of the "Top 25 Artists of the Year" US Art Magazine, march 1995 & 1996
Commissioned by Debbie Reynolds to portray a scene from "How the West was Won" for her museum opening, April 1995
"Cozier than the Dickens" article on studio tour, US Art Magazine, January 1995
One of the "Top 10 most popular artists" Informart Magazine, January 1995
"The Subject in Everything" feature article, Art of the West Magazine, March 1994
Feature artist, St. Jude Children's Hospital Benefit Art Show, Las Vegas, Nevada 1994
One of the "Top 10 Artists to Watch in 1994" US Art Magazine, January 1994
Commissioned by Montana Fish, Wildlife, and Parks Department for feature painting which was the centerpiece of their documentary film entitled "Landscape" 1994
"Artist of the Quarter" Bugle Magazine, Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation, winter 19945
Set new record price for art sale, Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation, Albuquerque 1994
"People Choice Awards" at the C.M. Russell Show and Auction, 1993
"Artist of the Year" Southern Maryland Wildlife Festival, 1993
Feature artist, Silver State Art Exhibition and Auction, Las Vegas, Nevada 1993
50th Anniversary Artist, US Naval Weapons Center, China Lake, California 1992
Best of Show, Spokane Art Show, 1991
Forty Five, Limited Edition Prints, with standing order sell outs of future limited editions
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