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Artist Stephen Lyman was always on the lookout for a challenge, both in wilderness experiences and in his art. In the late 1980s, already with hundreds of campfires built and enjoyed, he realized he had never quite seen a really good painting of a campfire. He set out to study the unique combination of light, air and fire that becomes the beloved campfire that is both a symbol of independent rugged living and a link to our most primitive ancestors. His painting and subsequent Fine Art Print entitled "A Mountain Campfire" was the result and it became the first of series of what is now known as his “firelight series.”
Never content to do the same thing twice, Stephen perfected painting campfires at different times of day and varying landscapes, mostly in Yosemite National Park. In "Sunset Fire," the setting is late summer, most of the snow has melted from the mountains so perhaps the fire is built less for heat than to cook a meal and as an inspiration for an evening of storytelling. The vertical composition, heightened by the towering pine, seems to lift the fire and embers into the twilight sky. Your friends will want to lean in for a hint of the smoky aroma if you bring the captivating warmth and irresistible attraction of this mountain campfire into your home.
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“He paints the wilderness with a knowledge and genuineness that can only be
expressed by someone who has ‘been there’.” – Bev Doolittle
Through Lyman’s art, you can travel into a wilderness very few have
experienced. You can share the sensation of being in the true outdoors –
exploring, discovering, studying and enjoying the all-encompassing beauty of
unspoiled nature.
Stephen Lyman was an explorer who specialized in painting the most elusive
moments in nature. His inspiring work was inspired, in turn, by the writing
and teachings of famous naturalist John Muir. “Muir wrote, ‘Climb the
mountains and get their good tidings,’” Lyman said. “I know exactly what he
meant.” Lyman’s love of the great outdoors stemmed from a childhood spent in
the Pacific Northwest, where hiking in Snake River country was a regular
family ritual.
Lyman’s desire to share his admiration for the outdoors was strong, but he
enrolled in the Art Center School of Design in Pasadena, California, to learn
more about the commercial art field. He started his career as a commercial
illustrator in Los Angeles and soon realized that the call of the wild was
stronger than the lure of the city. Returning to Idaho, he spent two years
exploring and developing his own style of painting. He continued to discover
the wonders of the natural world and of living a natural lifestyle. “All my
paintings have their origins in my experience and perception of beauty in the
wilderness,” he said.
Lyman’s first limited edition print was published by The Greenwich Workshop in
1983. In subsequent years, he was a frequent participant in the prestigious
international “Birds in Art” show at the Leigh Yawkey Woodson Art Museum. He
was invited to be “Artist of the Year” at the 1991 Pacific Rim Wildlife Art
Show and then received the rare honor of being invited back as an “Encore
Artist” at the 1995 event.
Stephen Lyman actively shared the wonder of the natural world with a legion of
collectors until his untimely death in 1996. He had been recently named one of
the top artists in the country by U.S. Art magazine and his book, Into the
Wilderness: An Artist’s Journey, was published to unanimous acclaim in the
autumn of 1995.
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