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Artist Curt Walters of Sedona, Arizona, is best known as a plein-aire impressionist. Recognized worldwide for his impeccable interpretation of the Grand Canyon, Art of the West magazine was first to herald him as the "Greatest Living Grand Canyon Artist" in 1997. Since then, Art of the West has gone on to include Walters as one of Eight True Masters, saying: "...many museums and collectors don't feel their collections are complete unless they include a Walters' painting."
Walters has long had an eye--and desire--for art. When he was 14, his sister was given a paint set for her birthday. "It took me about two minutes to steal it from her," he quips. From there, he took to copying the brushstrokes of the paintings on the walls of their New Mexican farmhouse, and at the age of 15, Walters sold his first piece.
Four years later, the fledgling young artist visited the Grand Canyon for the first time, and so began a lifelong love affair. "I get the same feeling today as I did that first time, thirty-five years ago."
Since then, Walters has focused much of his time and energies on Grand Canyon...but not only as an artist. In the early '90's, the growing amount of air pollution over the gorge (something unintentionally documented within his paintings) began to concern Walters. Shortly thereafter, he learned of The Grand Canyon Trust, and how they were fighting pollution's damaging effects throughout the entire Colorado Plateau. More than ten years and $500,000 later--much of which has been collected from donated paintings--Walters is still eager to meet new environmental challenges through the Trust. For his hard work and dedication, he was honored as "Official Artist of The Grand Canyon Trust." In 2002, Walters also joined forces with The Grand Canyon Foundation. |
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