Stephen Lyman was an explorer who specialized in painting
the most elusive moments in nature. His inspiring work was inspired, in
turn, by the writing and teachings of famous naturalist John Muir. “Muir
wrote, ‘Climb the mountains and get their good tidings,’” Lyman said. “I
know exactly what he meant.” Lyman’s love of the great outdoors stemmed from
a childhood spent in the Pacific Northwest, where hiking in Snake River
country was a regular family ritual.
Lyman’s desire to share his admiration for the outdoors was
strong, but he enrolled in the Art Center School of Design in Pasadena,
California, to learn more about the commercial art field. He started his career
as a commercial illustrator in Los Angeles and soon realized that the call of
the wild was stronger than the lure of the city. Returning to Idaho, he spent
two years exploring and developing his own style of painting. He continued to
discover the wonders of the natural world and of living a natural lifestyle.
“All my paintings have their origins in my experience and perception of beauty
in the wilderness,” he said.
Lyman’s first limited edition print was published by The
Greenwich Workshop in 1983. In subsequent years, he was a frequent participant
in the prestigious international “Birds in Art” show at the Leigh Yawkey Woodson
Art Museum. He was invited to be “Artist of the Year” at the 1991 Pacific Rim
Wildlife Art Show and then received the rare honor of being invited back as an
“Encore Artist” at the 1995 event.
Stephen Lyman actively shared the wonder of the natural world
with a legion of collectors until his untimely death in 1996. He had been
recently named one of the top artists in the country by U.S. Art magazine and
his book, Into the Wilderness: An Artist’s Journey, was published to unanimous
acclaim in the autumn of 1995.
