Our Artists
Pumpernickel Press works with some of America's finest nature artists to bring you our unique line of cards. We appreciate the immense talent each brings to our continued success. Many of our images were created just for us and are not available anywhere else. Enjoy a brief biography of some of our top selling artists.
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When someone looks at my paintings, I want them to feel as if they are right there witnessing first hand what the scene is depicting. I want them to feel the peace, comfort and joy that I experience when I’m studying the outdoors. I also want it to be a time for them to reflect on the beauty of God’s many blessings that seem to go mostly unnoticed in our busy world.” Abraham Hunter said that he first began to realize that God had given him a talent at 12 years old. At 14, he began to hone his skills and pursue his artistic talent as a career. Being self-taught, it was hard at first since there are no wildlife artists in his home area. By studying nature first hand, and using reference photos, Abraham was able to improve without any tutoring at all. Over the past 4 years. Abraham has been amazed at how much success he has managed to achieve. He attributes this success to his faith in God and the support of family and friends. If there is one thing I want to capture in my work and be able to share it with my collectors, it would be the abundance and beauty that I enjoy from a close relationship with Jesus Christ and an awe for His marvelous creation
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Alan Giana is one of today's most popular scenic artists. His paintings are inspired by the beauty of nature and love of nature and the sea. After studying graphic design and business management Alan and his wife Pamela started their own illustration and design company in the early 1990's. Since then Alan has won many awards including the Premier Print Award by the Printing Industries of America. His paintings have also been featured in many galleries across the country including the Delaware Art Museum.
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Carl Sams is one of the few wildlife photographers that is used by Pumpernickel Press. He was one of the first photographers honored as a featured artist at a wildlife art event. Carl has won numerous awards including "People's Choice Award" for the best of show eleven times at major wildlife exhibits. He has photographed the white-tailed deer family over sixty thousand times since he started photography in 1982. there are also books and dvd's made from Carl's work.
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A nationally renowned self-taught artist, Carol Decker is also a conservationist, educator, and award winner. She has won many national awards including "Best of Show" at the New Jersey Wings _and Waterfowl show. Carol spends many hours studying wildlife in the field and her unique way _of capturing birds and other animals has broad interest and universal fascination. She "wants people to feel as if they are looking over my shoulder to see what I see in nature when they view my paintings." Carol has a continuing commitment of sharing her art for educational benefits for everyone.
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Growing up Ching Walters spent summers in Gulfport where she fell in love with the Gulf coast. She honed her drawing skills on scenes depicting her natural surroundings. Inspired by Arthur Rackham, Ching has created numerous large watercolors and acrylics on canvas as well as thousands of postage stamps for various countries, children's books, and ceramic products. About the subjects that she chooses to depict Ching says, "I try to portray natural subjects, both flora and fauna, in a fresh and uncluttered way. It's important for me to distill and simplify organic images with the aim of revealing to the viewer what I recognize as the essence and spirit of the subject matter."
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Ellen has been a photographer and designer in the graphics and advertising industry for 35 years. She attended the Columbus College of Art and Design Columbus, Ohio and loves creating her unique beach inspired art. Her studios are the beaches of the world where her creative energy is unleashed.
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Greg Giordano has been sketching and painting animals all his life. As a boy he would sit at the Museum of Natural History drawing animals and dioramas for hours. He then attended the School of Visual Arts in New York and now combines his passions for animals and birds with his exceptional eye and techniques including, pencil, gouache, and oils. Greg's art has been a part of licensing programs for companies such as the National Wildlife Federation, ASPCA, and The Humane Society of the United States. More recently his work was a part of "American Academy of Equine Art's 20th Anniversary" Exhibition.
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James, Robert, and Joe Hautman have become established as America's foremost wildlife artists. At age 25 James became the youngest artist to win the distinguished Federal Duck Stamp Award, and has since won the competition three more years. In 2011 James was chosen as "Artist of the Year" by Ducks Unlimited. Robert also has numerous awards including the Federal Duck Stamp Award in 2997 and 2001. The eldest, Joe is also the only of the three brothers whose fulltime job is not painting; he also has a doctorate degree in Theoretical Physics. Joe has been honored by the Federal Duck Stamp competition in 1992, 2002, and 2007.
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Recognized internationally for his "freehand airbrush," Jerry Gadamus has a love for outdoor sports which has taken him far in the wilderness. Jerry takes a yearly trip into the Western states with friends on a painting and photography trip to capture the abundant wildlife in its natural habitat. Since graduating with a Bachelor in Fine Arts degree he has received numerous accolades for his work, which has become a familiar sight at wildlife fundraising auctions. Two of Jerry's works are also a part of Leigh Yawkey Woodson Art Museum's permanent collection.
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John Obolewicz's painted career started at a very young age when at age thirteen his work was chosen "Best in Show – Junior Division" for watercolors at the Kearny Arts Festival in New Jersey. After graduating from New Paltz State College in New York with a BFA in painting John went on to win numerous prizes and ribbons for his works. Although his first love was wildlife, he has expanded his subject matter to include landscapes, architecture, sporting scenes and a variety of commission work. John's painting have helped raise money for numerous foundations through auctions including The Rocky Mountain Elk Society, The Ruffed Grouse Society, and The North American Hunter Retriever Association.
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When he is not traveling the world painting wildlife, Juan Vela, works out of a studio in upstate New York. As a self-taught fine arts painter, illustrator, and designer Juan's art shows a mastery of watercolor and print. He has had artwork featured on the cover of The Artist Magazine as well as in many wildlife exhibitions.
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Kathy Glasnap captures peaceful serenity in her watercolors. She is a self-taught watercolorist and has been a professional artist since 1972. Combining an impressionistic flair with traditional form Kathy brings a unique style to all of her works which all include "Fred" the cardinal! In 1996 she opened a gallery in Door County, Wisconsin which exhibits a wide selection of her original watercolors, signed prints, posters, and Pumpernickel Press greeting cards.
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Lesley has loved animals and art since her childhood. By 1983 she was making enough money from her artwork to quit her day job. Lesley creates her art on location and with the supplementation of photography to capture a fresher look that also yields authority. She has received recognition three years in a row from the Pastel Society of the West Coast for her contribution to pastel as an artistic medium. Lesley also holds workshops in Sutter Creek, California.
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At age seven Lucie Bilodeau sparked an interest in art and by age fourteen she was attending the Mission: Renaissance School in Montreal, Canada to learn fine art skills. By age twenty-three she was awarded eight national and two international awards. From 2000-2001 her art was included in the "Women of Art" exhibit at the Key West Art and Historical Museum. Lucie's art is also shown at the Owl 57 Galleries in New York, one of the Wyland Galleries in California and in the Germanton Art Gallery in North Carolina.
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At a young age Margaret Cobane learned how to utilize her creativity. She often describes her painting experiences, saying, "My hand can't keep up with my brain and I have to grab the nearest piece of paper and capture the idea before it escapes me." She believes like many others that Santa is a symbol of goodness and generosity and has a good, kind soul. Margaret has a deep fondness for the holiday season and her fascination with it has become a recurring subject in her artwork.
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Growing up on the family farm in East Texas, Mark had drawn pictures voraciously since age five, but at age eleven painting offered a new challenge. Later, in college, he attended a friend’s small one-man show and saw, for the first time, someone selling artwork. He was nineteen then and this was all it took to inspire his artistic path. His interest in painting and determination to learn more kept him busy twelve to fourteen hours a day, six days a week. Within a year Mark found that many folks were beginning to collect his work. “You’re so young!” they would say, for he was twenty or so, and his career had begun. Everywhere he has gone, he has found great acceptance for his work, and his paintings hang in many homes around the world. His favorite collectors are those who see his work, and want to take it home because it causes them to be still and rest. “We are too busy these days,” he says, speaking about our need to slow down, sit a while, and think about life. Mark uses his gifts blending bold strokes, amazing color, soul stirring light, and even some fine detail to bring your focus to the "point" of the painting -- allowing you to experience the emotion of the moment. This is where he wants you to stay - not admiring his ability, but rather inspired to live.
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Award-winning artist Martha K. Edwards began creating art at an early age in her Connecticut home. Encouraged by her mother, a lover of wildlife, she used paints and crayons to create likenesses of the birds and squirrels that flocked to their feeder. She studied at Butera School of Art in Boston, Massachusetts and has enjoyed a long and varied career as an artist. Many of her watercolor paintings hang in private collections and her work is featured on countless greeting cards and home goods. Her commitment to bringing awareness to the plight of homeless animals and her interest in the preservation of the environment has inspired her to create numerous works for animal rescue and conservation organizations.
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Russell Cobane started in his youth as a landscape painter. In 1984 he started concentrating on painting wildlife when his love of plants and nature called to him. Russell has received many awards and accolades including Featured Artist at the Michigan Wildlife Habitat Foundation Show in 1990 and 1998. He has won People's Choice Award for five consecutive years at the same show. Russ has also designed greeting cards for the National Wildlife Federation. To him painting is a small part of the joy of being an artist, he says, "the real reward comes when collectors fall in love with a painting or print and choose it for their very own. This really gives me a sense of joy and completion."
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As one of our coastal artists, Sandy Clough uses a combination of fresh and traditional images to create unique paintings. She is a fourth generation artist and grew up in a home where materials were always available for creating. This helped her talent develop along with encouragement from her artist father. Sandy attended Mississippi College where she received a Master's Degree in Art Education and a Bachelor's Degree in Art. She started selling her paintings while at college and has been named Art Alumnus of the Year by Mississippi College twice.
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Shane Dimmick's deep regard for nature and animals led to a biology degree and wildlife art. Shane works with acrylic, oil, and ink while captivating the viewer with the faces of nature. Her art has been included in many wildlife exhibitions such as "Arts for the Parks Top 100" with the National Park Academy of the Arts, "Birds in Art" at the Leigh Yawkey Woodson Art Museum, and commissions for The Nature Company and National Wildlife Federation. Shane is devoted to the preservation of nature and the welfare of wildlife. www.shanedimmick.com
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Sueellen Ross received a bachelor's degree in art and drama from the University of California at Berkeley and also attended the School of Visual Arts in New York. You can tell that she loves what she is painting as the distinct personalities of her subjects are apparent in all of her works. Sueellen is known for her powerful design and subtle wit in her mixed-media paintings and colored etchings. Her artwork has been exhibited in shows in Alaska and all the way down to Florida, including "Arts for the Parks" at the National Park Foundation in Wyoming.
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Internationally acclaimed artist, Terry Isaac's paintings of North American Birds and Mammals capture the unique characteristics of the wildlife in their natural habitat. Terry's interest in art began with animation and drawing cartoons. He now uses subjects ranging as large as whales to the tiniest hummingbirds. His works are now hung in permanent collections at Leigh Yawkey Woodson Art Museum and Bennington Center for the Arts among others. Terry has also had artwork featured fourteen times in the "Birds in Art" exhibition.
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Tim's love for nature began in his childhood during trips to his family's cottage in Quebec. When he was ten he was awarded with a five year scholarship to Carnegie Institute's Tam-O-Shanter Art Studies program in Pittsburgh. Since 1983 he has been a fulltime freelance wildlife artist creating works in illustration, fine art, and murals. Tim works with observations, photos, videos, and collected specimen to convey the realism of his interpretation with the manipulation of color and shadow.
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