A Hint of Yesteryear

Scot Storm

Scot Storm discovered his love for sketching and design early on, growing up in the outdoors where hunting, waterfowl, and wildlife scenes captured his imagination. He went on to earn a degree in architecture at North Dakota State University, but the pull of nature and his passion for art led him away from drafting tables toward wildlife painting. As a self-taught artist, he entered his first competition in 1987—placing in the Minnesota Duck Stamp contest—which encouraged him to keep exploring wildlife and stamp art.By 1991 he earned his first major recognition by winning the Indiana Pheasant Stamp competition. Over the years Scot’s reputation grew steadily: in 1999 he made the life-changing decision to leave his architecture career and devote himself fully to painting. From that point on he immersed himself in every aspect of his work—composition, lighting, color psychology, habitat detail—in order to bring authenticity and emotional weight to each scene.His paintings often feature waterfowl, hunting dogs, pheasants and other game birds, and scenes from the field. He is known for capturing not just the physical form of wildlife, but the mood: the light at early dawn, the mist rising over a marsh, or the quiet tension of wings in flight. Detail matters deeply to him—from feather texture to water reflections—so that each image feels alive and true.Scot Storm has won many honors for his craft. Among them are multiple wins in state and federal duck stamp contests, “Artist of the Year” titles for organizations like Ducks Unlimited and Pheasants Forever, and recognition through national wildlife art shows giving him status as one of the leading wildlife artists in America.Besides painting, he devotes much of his work to conservation. His art isn’t simply decoration—it’s part of a mission. Revenue from limited-edition prints and reproduction sales often helps support habitat protection and wildlife welfare. He sees his role as both artist and steward, hoping that each image can inspire others to care for the natural world.He lives in Iowa with his wife, Kristin, and spends part of each year traveling to gather reference material—photographing wildlife, studying behavior, and observing settings firsthand so his work remains grounded in reality. Moments in the field, whether quiet observations or dramatic natural light, feed directly into his studio work.Scot Storm’s art reflects his personal balance between heritage, conservation, and craft. His legacy lies not only in the artwork he creates—the scenes of birds, dogs, and wild places—but in his effort to build tradition: passing on respect for nature, inspiring future generations, and reminding viewers of the fragile, beautiful world just outside our doors.