Daniel Smith (Montana, b. 1954), "Winter Sundance", oil on masonite, signed lower right

sight: 36 x 26 in., frame: 46 x 36 in.

Provenance: Property from the Estate of Robert A. "Bob" Funk Sr. - trailblazing American businessman, philanthropist, and rancher, from his impressive ranch headquarters in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma

Daniel Smith, a Minnesota-born artist who trained as a commercial illustrator, developed a reputation for highly detailed wildlife and sporting art grounded in meticulous field research and direct observation of animals in their natural environments. His commitment to authenticity and precise realism is reflected in paintings noted for their exceptional detail, depth of knowledge, and careful rendering of wildlife. His early recognition came in 1987, when his painting of snow geese was selected for the federal U.S. Duck Stamp, establishing him as a leading sporting artist of his generation; he was also commissioned by the National Geographic Society to create color plates for its Field Guide to the Birds of North America. Smith’s work has been exhibited at major institutions including the National Museum of Wildlife Art, the Autry National Center of the American West, the Eiteljorg Museum of American Indians and Western Art, the Hiram Blauvelt Art Museum, the Wildlife Experience, the Bennington Center for the Arts, and the Leigh Yawkey Woodson Art Museum. In 2009, his painting Still Water Crossing received the Harrison Eiteljorg Purchase Award at the Eiteljorg Museum’s Quest for the West Art Show and Sale.