Western Hunter Featured Artist: Ryan Skidmore

WHM: Please give us a bit of info about you – where you grew up, where you live now, and how you got started with your art.

Ryan: I grew up in Northern Utah in a town called Roy, studied art at Utah State in Logan, and currently live in Morgan, Utah. My humble beginnings in art came at a young age, admiring my Grandmother’s paintings and trying to copy them when we would visit my grandparents' farm. She started painting late in life and was quite talented. Like a lot of my artist friends, I was an “art kid.” All I wanted to do growing up was hunt, fish, play football, and draw – all of those things. Oddly enough, that is still all I want to do.

WHM: How has hunting influenced your artwork?

Ryan: I am a much better artist because I hunt. I spend countless hours in the field pursuing the subjects I paint, mostly with a camera and brush, to be able to understand them and have the photographs and studies I need to make accurate and interesting paintings. Along with these photography trips, I also find it necessary to pursue game on a life-and-death level to truly know the animals I love. My perception is much more acute with a weapon in hand than with a camera.

Harvesting and processing game gives me a much better understanding of anatomy from seeing the structure under the hide. Studying muscles and bones helps my paintings have more accuracy and authenticity. Being a hunter, I am also more likely to portray the animals hunters dream about. It also works in reverse, the observational skills of an artist also help me be a better hunter.

WHM: What makes your art unique?

Ryan: As a wildlife artist, it is difficult to come up with unique ideas. It has all been done before. Although my vision of what is interesting and paintable may not be too different than a lot of other wildlife artists, it is very important to me that my paintings are filtered through my experiences with the animals and landscapes I paint. I do not paint animals I haven’t witnessed in their natural habitat, so no polar bears or African animals until I get to see them on their turf – hopefully soon. I am a firm believer that paintings should look like paintings. In order to achieve this, I use thick paint, painterly brushstrokes, and layers to achieve a looser style. Leaving out minute details allows the viewer to finish my works in their own mind and take part in the creative process, which ultimately makes the art much more enjoyable for years to come.

WHM: What is your favorite hunting memory?

Ryan: I have so many awesome hunting memories that it is hard to pick one in particular to be a favorite, so here are a few. I was lucky enough to draw a limited-entry early rifle elk tag in Utah a few years ago and took a great bull. After a few cow calls, he worked his way directly at us from across a sizeable meadow that was socked in with fog. We could hear him coming, but with the fog as thick as it was, we didn’t get a visual until he was about 30 yards out. He finally stopped at 10 yards. The best part about that hunt was having my young sons, then 12 and 7, tag along. My older son captured the whole scene on video. Another favorite memory is of missing the largest mule deer I have ever shot at, just to have my 14-year-old son take him for his first mule deer harvest. Also, watching my younger son take his first buck will be something I never forget. My favorite hunts all revolve around family and adventure.

WHM: What is your favorite piece you’ve done?

Ryan: My favorite painting so far is one of a lone bison bull called The Plainsman. I painted it shortly after my father passed away unexpectedly in a farming accident. After applying for over 30 years, he finally drew a coveted Henry Mountain tag, and I was lucky enough to accompany him on a Bison hunt a year before he passed. It was the last hunt any of us would get to enjoy with him. Every time I paint a buffalo, it reminds me of my dad.

Learn more about Ryan and his artwork at ryanskidmore.com