Jeff Tift is known as one of the premier wildlife artists in the country. He has won many awards for his paintings, including a “People’s Choice” award at the Milwaukee Sports Show, and “Best of Show” at the prestigious Pac-Rim Wildlife Art Show and “Best of Show – other media” at the 13th Annual Northwest Territorial Art Show. The artist grew up in Cashmere, the small country town of WA., surrounded by the Cascade Mountain Range. An avid canoeist, skier, hiker, and all-around outdoorsman from a tender age, Tift spent every available moment backpacking and hiking in the Cascades. His paintings visibly express an admiration and love for high lakes, the mountains, and wildlife of the Pacific Northwest. He often depicts the experience of sharing the wild and nature with animals. Tift believes that getting out into the wild is the most important part of being a wildlife artist.
He’s mostly motivated to paint by his desire to preserve wildlife and nature. The artist’s background landscapes are areas he has visited personally and he paints them with great attention to detail; his keenness to detail has been noticed by many as it makes him to produce realistic art - a single painting may take him up to 6 weeks to complete. His art is a great attraction to animal lovers and conservationists. That’s why those who purchase them do so not only for decorative purposes but also to inspire those who view them to participate in environmental conservation, especially of wild animals.
