Growing up in the countryside of southeastern Michigan, Rusty Frentner was surrounded by a landscape richly endowed with wild animals and untamed beauty. As a child he would ride his horse through still woods and meadows, observing the natural world with all the delighted curiosity of the solitary spectator. His intense love for this wildlife led him to the desire to portray what he saw, and while other children were content with gifts of toys, Rusty wanted only art supplies.
His parents encouraged their son’s talents, and as an adult he pursued his interest in art, becoming a technical illustrator. His interest in wildlife never left him, however, and he searched out workshops offered by experienced wildlife artists to improve his fine art technique. From his studies with such well-known wildlife artists such as Lee Cable and Kalon Baughan, Frentner has been able to refine his talents and achieve notable success.
After many years of hard work, the 37-year-old wildlife artist is receiving national attention. In 1995 Frentner’s portrait of a pensive wolf won the Remarque Contest sponsored by Wildlife Art magazine. His painting of two Canada geese in flight was selected for the 1996 Michigan State Waterfowl Stamp, fulfilling a long-held dream.
Frentner currently lives on five wild acres just an hour from Detroit “where we have lots of birds, a few owls, pheasants, quail, and deer.” He loves nothing more than to spend the day outdoors, observing the wildlife around him and doing field study sketches. Frentner works primarily in acrylics now and says he enjoys the discipline of painting detailed images from nature. Recently he has also been experimenting with graphite pencil drawings. “Keeping it wild,” says Frentner, is the challenge and the goal. His fascination with wildlife combined with his talent, dedication, and his persistence, make Rusty Frentner a wildlife artist to watch.
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