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"I like to paint for the story," says artist Joshua Spies. "'With Raging Bulls,' you can feel the power and the passion of these enormous animals. It's an intense scene." The locked tusks and tree-trunk legs of the massive bull elephants have raised a cloud of dust that adds to the drama of the battle.
Joshua Spies graduated from South Dakota State University in 1996 with a degree in Fine Arts. His list of awards and recognitions is extensive, including the 2007 Dallas Safari Club Artist of the Year award and the appearance of his paintings in two major motion pictures. His travels take him across the globe in search of subjects great and small.
"The best thing about doing what I do," he says, "is raising awareness. I like to show people something they might not see otherwise, to get them thinking about the larger world. My hope is that when they see these magnificent animals, the variety of wildlife out there, that they'll be more interested in preserving their habitats."
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This young artist has had the example, encouragement, and help of some of
America's best and most well known wildlife artists.... Terry Redlin, Terry
Isaac, and Paco Young, among so many others have watched and encouraged Spies'
career.
He is a Life member of Foundation for North American Wild Sheep, Rocky
Mountain Elk Foundation, and Pheasants Forever, a Heritage Sponsor of Ducks
Unlimited, and a member of the Safari Club International, National Turkey
Federation, and the NRA.
Spies is one of six artists throughout the country selected for the 2003 Ducks
Unlimited National Art Package, and was also a finalist in the 2003 DU
International Artist of the Year competition. His art was selected for the
2002 and 2003 Pheasants Forever National Art packages, and his
painting "Annual Descent" was awarded People's Choice Winner in 2002 at the
Foundation for North American Wild Sheep National Convention. Spies was also a
finalist in two Federal Duck Stamp Competitions and recently placed first
place in the 2003 SD Duck Stamp Competition. His painting, "Last Glance - Dall
Sheep," received the People's Choice Award and the Artist of the Year Award at
the Foundation for North American Wild Sheep National Convention in 2004 and
his original, "Turkey Ridge," was selected for the 2005/2006 Ducks Unlimited
National Art Package.
Additional accomplishments over the past year include having his artwork
selected to be in the MGM movie "A Guy Thing", and having his artwork sold
nationwide in Dillard's department stores with their Hemingway furniture
collection. "Twentieth Century Fox" is using three paintings in their upcoming
movie titled "Electra" starring Jennifer Garner. Spies was interviewed by
People magazine, featured in US Art and Wildlife Art Magazine, as well as
featured in "People to Watch in Year 2001 and Beyond" in the Sioux Falls, SD
Argus Leader.
Spies' other notable achievements include receiving first place in
the "International Artists Management" art competition in St. Petersburg, FL,
as well as being a finalist in the International Art Competition of N.Y.
miniatures and the South Carolina Waterfowl stamp competition. He excels in
photography as well, and has competed and attended Kodak/National Geographic
Hot Shots in Washington, D.C. and National Geographic Magazine's Workshop and
Competition in Jackson Hole, Wyoming. He was recognized for top photograph for
the latter and was published by National Geographic.
Spies is a resident of Watertown, South Dakota.
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