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Maynard Reece

Artist Biography

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Maynard Reece

Born in Arnolds Park in April, 1920, near the shores of Lake Okoboji in northwestern Iowa, the son of a Quaker minister, Maynard Reece combines a love of nature and a talent for art which have made him America's foremost wildlife painter. He is considered one of the founding fathers of wildlife art, prints and posters as we know it today. In 1940, Reece went to Des Moines to work as an artist for the Iowa Department of History and Archives in the museum.

In 1948, Maynard won the prestigious Federal Duck Stamp competition for the first time. He is currently the only five-time winner of the Federal Duck Stamp competition having won again in 1951, 1959, 1969 and 1971. Maynard Reece was commissioned in 1972 by the State Conservation Commission to paint the first Iowa Duck Stamp, and won the Iowa competition in 1977 and 1993. Maynard has painted over 35 designs of wildlife for state, federal and conservation programs. His association with the duck stamp programs spans over forty years. The phenomenal success of his 1972 First of Iowa State Duck Stamp remains the benchmark by which all other programs are measured.

Much has been written about the accuracy of Reece's art, prints and posters; every detail correct - feathers, position, wind, weather and weeds. This is true, as hunters and birders will testify, but it is only a part, an element, in the man's work. These things are combined with a feel for color, a sensitivity to the moods of nature and the ability to dip back into the mental images of decades of outdoor observation to create a work of art which is much more than the sum of its parts. His paintings, because of their aesthetic quality and universal appeal, stand by themselves.

Maynard Reece Art, Prints and Posters Collection