LUKE FRAZIER

About this artist

Luke Frazier grew up in a large family of brothers who loved hunting and fishing in the mountains of northern Utah.  These early forays into nature instilled a kinship with wildlife and a passion for the outdoors. As a child he spent hours scribbling, sketching and sculpting wildlife.  He earned a BFA in painting and a MFA in illustration from Utah State University.

Each year, Luke travels from Alaska to Africa painting and photographing animals in their natural environment. “I’m always excited for a new adventure, seeking new country and looking for animals in their prime – hoping to capture the nuances of the sporting life.” His love of hunting and fishing is apparent in his work. Luke is inspired and influenced by noted artists such as Charlie Russell, Winslow Homer, Herbert “Buck” Dunton, Heinrich Von Zugel, Carl Rungius, Philip Goodwin, Robert Abbett, Bob Kuhn and Ken Carlson.  These are the masters of telling a story. He appreciates the strength of drawing, color and emotion put into their works.

Luke’s work is included in the permanent collections of many prestigious museums including the National Museum of Wildlife Art, Jackson, Wyoming; Autry Museum of the American West, Los Angeles, California; National Cowboy and Western Heritage Museum, Oklahoma City; the Gilcrease Museum, Tulsa, Oklahoma; Briscoe Museum, San Antonio, Texas; Clymer Museum, Ellensburg, Washington; Buffalo Bill Museum, Cody, Wyoming; Phoenix Art Museum, Arizona; C.M. Russell Museum, Great Falls, Montana; Montgomery Museum of Fine Arts, Alabama; and the Kimball Art Center, Park City, Utah.

“I’m always searching for things I want to draw and paint. I’m always following the light, looking for the different values, shapes and colors – the emotional color of a scene. By using digital photography and video, I can capture memories and moments in time. Both buttress the process of drawing and composition – helping me recreate those moments on canvas. As an artist you have to use these judicially and remember you are in control of the painting, not the other way around.”