About The Artist

Wildlife artist Chip Brock was born and raised in rural Kansas. In 1993 he received a B.F.A. from Fort Hays State University in Hays, Kansas. While in college he met and fell in love with his wife Kymberli. As his biggest supporter and fan, she has always encouraged him to pursue his passion for the outdoors and art. Their beautiful daughter was born in Kansas, but her name McKinley seemed to have prophesied the exciting direction their lives were heading.

Chip and Kymberli’s life long dreams of the West resulted in many trips to the Rocky Mountains and six years living in Southeast Idaho. A belated honeymoon to Alaska some years back planted the seed of “The Last Frontier” and they now reside in the beautiful Mat-Su Valley just outside Wasilla, Alaska. Each day brings a new and exciting view of the Chugach mountain range, which serves as the ultimate backdrop to “live the dream” as a wildlife artist. For Chip, a fascination with North American wildlife, love of fine art and the challenge of creating a beautiful painting based on his own reference and experiences are the perfect combination for a fulfilling career.

The love and respect Chip has for both wildlife and art began at a very young age and continues to grow stronger. His passion and talent for depicting God’s creations is a blessing not taken for granted. “I never tire of spending time in the field and love that each painting presents a completely new challenge. I’m very blessed to be able to make a living at something I never want to retire from.”

Chip’s work has been included in the prestigious Art For Alaska's Parks, Art For the Parks competition, Paint the Parks Competition, C.M. Russell Art Auction, Kansas Wildlife Art Series and has helped raise money for many conservation groups and private charities. Chip works exclusively in oils striving for a realistic yet painterly approach. "My efforts are focused on capturing a unique moment in nature without getting lost in unnecessary detail. I love the texture of paint and want the viewer to enjoy each painting as a beautiful work of art. My primary art goals are to continue to learn and push hard to get even better. I strive to make each new painting my best with the understanding that perfection is always going to be just out of reach.”

• Selected into the Top 30 for Alaska Arts For the Parks Competition 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015 and 2016.

• Named Alaska Chapter of Safari Club International Artist of the Year for 2015.

• Won Wildlife Award, Arts for Alaska Parks Competition in 2014

• Featured on KTUU Channel 2’s “Alaska’s Story- History of Moose” in August, 2014.

• Artwork selected for display on the United States Navy’s USS Anchorage, May, 2013.

• Selected into the annual C.M. Russell Art Auction in Great Falls, MT 2010.

• Selected into the Top 100 in the National Paint the Parks competition and traveling gallery tour 2009.

• Art was used for the cover of a national shooting sports catalog 2008.

• Selected into the Top 200 in the National Arts for the Parks competition 2007.

• Finalist in Kansas Wildlife Art Print competition.

Sighting Dall rams while hiking above barren slopes and craggy rocks, watching a giant moose sway to a challenging rival, watching caribou bulls prance across the red autumn tundra . . . These are memories that inspire my creativity. Wildlife grabs everyone’s imagination at one time or another. Ask anyone visiting Alaska what they hope to see and you will get an answer that includes wildlife sightings. As a representational oil painter whose primary focus is North American wildlife, I work hard to share the animals and my experiences in the wild through my art. 

My passion for art, a fascination with wildlife and a sporting lifestyle have been a part of me since childhood. Ideas are sparked from my experiences in the field. I then combine these ideas with solid reference material obtained from my photography and outdoor sketches. Wildlife is not conducive to life painting, therefore reference gathering is taken seriously. Putting forth great effort, time and travel to place myself in position to observe and photograph my subjects in the wild is a labor of love and crucial to my work. Once I decide to pursue an idea and have the required reference, the hard work of designing and creating the visual story I want to tell can begin. The goal is to convey that story in a thoughtful and beautiful way that will “read” correctly to the casual observer but be a rich, visual experience for those who observe with a more critical eye.

Viewing oil paintings of past and current masters put me on the artistic path of wanting more from my work than just a good rendering. I fell in love with the richness and depth that can only be accomplished while working with oils.  Viewers of my art can stand at a normal viewing distance and see a solid painting, but when drawn in close can get lost in my artistic process and the struggle it took to make the painting whole. Looking closely at the work reveals a world where sensitive and thoughtful paint application resulted from thousands of decisions made before the piece reached completion. Each painting is made without getting lost in unnecessary detail. More important is good drawing, design and all the possibilities oils offer (such as value and color choices, brush work quality, thick and thin paint, layering, creation of textures and quiet, smooth areas for the eye to rest). All these factors lay a micro landscape on the painting surface for anyone to enjoy if they only look.  

The challenge and struggle of creating fine art and the endless stories the wild offers is what drives me to keep creating art. I am so blessed to be able to create art for a living. I strive for my very best with each piece and work hard to continually improve. My favorite compliments are when a kindred outdoor spirit is “taken back” to their own experience by my work.