Collection: Larry Fanning (1938-2014) Artist Biography and Art Gallery Collection

Larry Fanning (1938 – 2014) was a self-taught Western and wildlife artist who was born and raised in Kansas. After working as an illustrator for the Boeing Company, he pursued a career in commercial art and graphic design before moving to California. Once there, he set his art aside while serving as a nondenominational minister for 17 years. Shortly before moving to Colorado in 1986, Larry Fanning resumed his career in art. Energized by the mountains and the changing seasons, his love for the West shines through his vivid paintings. He said, “In its richly endowed land, its wildlife, and in the dreams of its people, there pulses an energy that is sacred and life-giving.” Collector demand soon outpaced his supply of paintings. The artwork of Larry Fanning art can now be found in private collections throughout the U.S., Canada, Europe and South America.

Larry Fanning was an artist who preserved the constantly forming ideas, moods and emotions that later emerged in his sought-after paintings. He always took a camera and sketch pad with him when he traveled. “Very often, an artist will see parts of a painting, such as the light on a tree,” he explained. “You retain it along with a number of other elements. When the catalyst for a painting happens, you then draw upon that well of stored images.” Fanning had a natural understanding of anatomy and an instinct for color. Much like an actor, who strives to make a scene come alive for an audience, Fanning endeavored to put himself into the setting he painted. He tried to experience the crunch of the snow or the howl of the wind so that the viewer also felt drawn into the painting and participated in its story. Fanning’s appreciation for life’s unending splendor is richly reflected in his art.

From high atop a mountain peak in Colorado, artist Larry Fanning painted beautiful images, covering a myriad of western and wildlife subjects, including scenes of cowboys living on the American frontier and Native American culture. He is also recognized for his renderings of gray wolves, elk, moose, deer, and exotic wild animals, as well as portraits. A self taught artist, he has won numerous awards, and his work has been displayed at prestigious art shows throughout the United States. Larry’s canvasses shine with the purity of the nature of his subjects. Whether in the gaze of a trail boss, an Indian’s somber pose, the eyes of a wolf, the tender bond of a mare and her foal, or the stunning command of the great beasts of the African plains, his paintings reflect the beauty and significance of all living things and a clear appreciation for the splendor of life.

Larry Fanning also worked for a variety of ad agencies and had his artwork published by the Mill Pond Press. He fell in love with the Rocky Mountains on a trip through here and when he decided to change directions, it was where he decided to settle. “I moved to Denver when I made up my mind to take the leap into fine art. I created six or eight pieces and made up a little book. I sent them to galleries and my work began to sell.” That was the beginning.

Larry Fanning dedicated his paintings to scenes of the American West and of Wildlife: particularly historical and present day North America. Larry has won numerous awards in the art world and his artwork has been published by Mill Pond Press. He’s been featured on the covers of many publications and has been the recipient of a host of articles. He was elected to membership in the Society of Animal Artists, has two paintings that were selected for the National Museums Tour and his “Colorado Buffalo” piece was selected for display in the Colorado State Capitol.