Linda Besse
United States
Linda Besse was drawn to the outdoors through her geology bachelor’s degree fromColgate University, followed with a geology Master of Science degree from Eastern Washington University which enabled her to get into the back country of Alaska, Nevada, Wyoming, Utah, and Montana.
Working from her field sketches, small field paintings and her photographs, she creates a composition designed to reflect the inherent artistry of the world around us. Linda paints exclusively in oil because she appreciates its luminosity, depth, and intensity of color. She uses an alla prima technique to capture the immediacy of the image.
Surrounded bydeer, wild turkey, grouse, quail, coyote, and the occasional moose, bear,and mountainlion, Linda’s home in Mead, WA gives her plenty of reference material outher kitchendoor. While her main subjects are wildlife, Linda enjoys “stretching her brushes” with aspects of her world travels. Her search for inspiration has taken her to every US state, over 40 countries, and all seven continents. Linda’s adventures include traversing the remote tundra of Labrador to research the cariboumigration, paddling 459 miles above the Arctic Circle in a canoe to see muskox, snorkeling Hudson Bay with wild beluga whales, and crossing the Drake Passage to Antarctica in 48-foot seas.
Linda is a Signature Member of Oil Painters of America, Society of Animal Artists, and the American Society of Marine Artists. Her award-winning paintings are collected on five continents.
Some of Linda Besse's awards & shows include:
Oil Painters of America National Exhibit, Animal Award of Excellence 2021
Challenges of Climate Change by Science Art-Nature, 3rd Place 2021
National Oil & Acrylic Painters’ Society Spring International Online Show, Best in Show 2020
NOAPS Spring Online Showcase, Award of Excellence 2022
American Academy of Equine Artists 2020 Jean Bowman Award Winner
Safari Club International Artist of the Year 2018
Safari Club International Foundation 2014 Conservation Artist of the Year
Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation Artist of the Year 2017
Birds in Art, Leigh Yawkey Woodson Art Museum, accepted 11 times
NatureWorks, Tulsa, OK, Featured Artist 2019, Encore Artist 2020, Best in Show 2D 2014
International Guild of Realism Annual Exhibition, Best Wildlife Award 2020
* This statement has been provided directly by the artist in association to their 16th International ARC Salon entries. This content has not been edited for typos or grammatical errors and has not been vetted for accuracy.