Terry Avon Redlin (July 11, 1937 – April 24, 2016) was an American artist popular for painting outdoor themes and wildlife, often pictured in twilight. During the 1990s he was frequently named "America's most popular artist" in annual gallery surveys conducted by ''U.S. Art'' magazine.

Early life and career

Redlin was born and raised in

Watertown, South Dakota Watertown is a city in and the county seat of Codington County, South Dakota, United States. Watertown is home to the Redlin Art Center which houses many of the original art works produced by Terry Redlin, one of America's most popular wildlife ...

. He originally planned to become a

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, but at 15 was disabled in a motorcycle accident. In 1967 Redlin and his family moved to

Forest Lake, Minnesota Forest Lake is a city in Washington County, Minnesota, United States, located 27 miles northeast of Saint Paul. The population was 20,611 at the 2020 census. The 2021 population is 20,608. History Forest Lake began as a stop on the St. Paul ...

. He earned a degree from the St. Paul School of Associated Arts in St. Paul, Minnesota, and spent 25 years working in

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as a

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, graphic designer, illustrator and art director. Redlin's painting ''Winter Snows'' appeared on the cover of ''The Farmer'' magazine in 1977. Two years later, he became a full-time artist. He retired in 2007 after being diagnosed with

dementia Dementia is a disorder which manifests as a set of related symptoms, which usually surfaces when the brain is damaged by injury or disease. The symptoms involve progressive impairments in memory, thinking, and behavior, which negatively affe ...

that proved to be caused by Alzheimer's disease. In addition to individual works, Redlin produced series of paintings on the first stanza of "

America the Beautiful "America the Beautiful" is a patriotic American song. Its lyrics were written by Katharine Lee Bates and its music was composed by church organist and choirmaster Samuel A. Ward at Grace Episcopal Church in Newark, New Jersey. The two neve ...

" (1992) and on the life of an American boy, based on his own life (''An American Portrait'', 2004).

Honors

Redlin was many times in the 1990s named "America's most popular artist" in ''U.S. Art'' magazine's annual surveys of gallery sales. In 1992 the magazine inducted him into its hall of fame. He won the

Minnesota Minnesota () is a state in the upper midwestern region of the United States. It is the 12th largest U.S. state in area and the 22nd most populous, with over 5.75 million residents. Minnesota is home to western prairies, now given over to ...

Duck Stamp contest twice and the state trout stamp contest once, and in 1982 came second in the

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contest.

Legacy

Built in 1997, the

Redlin Art Center The Redlin Art Center is an art gallery located in Watertown, South Dakota where over 150 of artist Terry Redlin Terry Avon Redlin (July 11, 1937 – April 24, 2016) was an American artist popular for painting outdoor themes and wildlife, often ...

in Watertown is devoted to his works. The Terry Redlin Environmental Center, also in Watertown, opened in 2010; Redlin was known for his donations to raise funds for conservation, including a record $28 million for

Ducks Unlimited Ducks Unlimited (DU) is an American nonprofit organization 501(c) dedicated to the conservation of wetlands and associated upland habitats for waterfowl, other wildlife, and people. It has had a membership of around 700,000 since January 2013. ...

. The Terry Redlin Elementary School in

Sioux Falls, South Dakota Sioux Falls () is the most populous city in the U.S. state of South Dakota and the 130th-most populous city in the United States. It is the county seat of Minnehaha County and also extends into Lincoln County to the south, which continues up ...

, opened in 1998, was named in his honor.

Personal life

He married Helene Marie Langenfeld in 1956, when they were both 19 years old; they had three children. Redlin died at a retirement home in Watertown, South Dakota on April 24, 2016, at the age of 78.

References

External links

https://wildwings.com/pages/terry-redlin-1
Official Terry Redlin website

1937 births 2016 deaths People from Watertown, South Dakota 20th-century American painters American male painters 21st-century American painters Artists from South Dakota 20th-century American male artists {{US-painter-stub