Stephen Lyman was an explorer who specialized in painting the most elusive moments in nature. His  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 honour 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.

Stephen Lyman died in a tragic accident in Yosemite National Park on April 22nd, 1996.