Larry Zach

Artist Biography

"A life time of hunting, fishing, conservation work and nature study has provided me with a wealth of outdoor experiences and images. My intent as an artist is to share these with others.' A deep love of nature is the underlying theme in Larry Zach's life and art, prints and posters. Born near Swisher, Iowa, on October 2, 1946, Larry spent countless childhood days exploring the fields, streams, and forests surrounding his family farm overlooking the Iowa River bottoms of southeast Iowa. These early hunting and fishing expeditions served as a prerequisite for his later Fish and Wildlife Biology degree from Iowa State University.

Larry then served as a combat infantryman in South Vietnam where, among other honors, he earned the Bronze Star of Valor. Even when in Southeast Asia, he never lost his fascination with the natural world. Upon returning from Vietnam, Larry studied science education and museum techniques, earning a masters degree at the University of Iowa in 1972. For the next 18 years, he taught science at the junior and senior high levels in Ankeny, Iowa. Spreading his love of nature to teen-age students was a major goal during his teaching career. His dedication to teaching is evident by his being nominated twice for Teacher of the Year.

The beginning of Larry Zach's career as a professional wildlife artist can be traced to 1983 when his painting of a wood duck pair was selected as winner of the Iowa Duck Stamp contest. In 1987, he captured the ‘grand slam' of the Iowa art world by being simultaneously selected as Artist of the Year by Iowa Ducks Unlimited, Iowa Pheasants Forever, and the Iowa Wild Turkey Federation. Larry Zach's attention to detail, anatomical accuracy, and the collectability of his art, prints and posters has resulted in his ever-growing popularity among art collectors across the nation.

Larry Zach Art, Prints and Posters Collection