Rusty Frentner (Born in 1958) grew up in the countryside of southeastern Michigan where he was surrounded by a landscape richly endowed with untamed beauty and wild animals that influenced his posters, prints and art. As a child, Frentner would ride his horse through meadows and still woods, observing the natural world with the curiosity of the solitary spectator. His parents encouraged his talents, and as an adult, he became a technical illustrator after pursued his interest in art. Frentner, unlike other children that wanted gifts of toys, only wanted art supplies when he was still a child. His interest and love for wildlife was infinite. This interest never left him, and he searched out workshops offered by experienced wildlife artists to improve his fine art technique. From his studies with wildlife artists such as Kalon Baughan and Lee Cable, Frentner has been able to achieve notable success by refining his talents.
After several years of hard work, he is receiving national attention creating wildlife posters, prints and art. In 1995, his portrait won the Remarque Contest sponsored by Wildlife Art Magazine. In 1996 his painting was selected for the Michigan State Waterfowl Stamp. He likes to spend the day outdoors, doing field study sketches of the wildlife around him. He works primarily in acrylics and enjoys the discipline of painting detailed images from nature. Frentner has also used graphite pencil, color pencil, watercolors, casein, oils, etc. He recently joined a Plein Air painting and he’s having fun painting out doors. Frentner is learning new ways to work with color to make his work more exciting.
