STICK, Frank (American, 1884-1966). The Last Shot.

STICK, Frank (American, 1884-1966)
The Last Shot
Oil on canvas
Signed Lower left "Stick"
35 1/2" x 27 1/2" visible, 44" x 36" framed

Born in 1884 in what was then the Dakota Territory, Frank Stick spent his childhood hunting, fishing, and trapping. At the age of 17 he moved to Wisconsin where he worked as a hunting and fishing guide and supported himself by trapping in the winter. He produced sketches throughout this period along with written accounts of his explorations, many of which he sold to outdoors and sporting magazines. With their support, he was able to travel and adventure extensively throughout the Midwest, the Great Plains, the Rockies, and Montana. In 1904 Stick enrolled at the Chicago Institute of Art, selling a painting after only four months of classes. At the suggestion of his teacher, he traveled to Wilmington, Delaware, to study with famed illustrator Howard Pyle (1853-1911). After his training, Stick moved to Interlaken, New Jersey, where he had a successful career as an illustrator. His work appeared in magazines including “Colliers,” “The Saturday Evening Post,” “Sports Afield,” and “Field and Stream,” and he also illustrated multiple articles by Zane Grey in “Outdoor America.” This painting, which is quintessential Stick, depicts a tense moment in the life of a besieged winter trapper. The lot is accompanied by a calendar reproduction from 1928, and the work captures the element of dramatic action for which the artist is known. The quality of the figures, the intensity of the action, and the dynamic composition of this important work led it to be chosen as the frontispiece in Michael Mordell’s 2004 book on the artist, “Frank Stick: Splendid Painter of the Out-of-Doors.” In 1929, Stick retired from the art world and dedicated himself to the outer banks in North Carolina, where he helped establish several state and federal parks to preserve the landscape. Today, the Frank Stick Memorial Art Show is held yearly in the area in his honor.