Ralph's Biography

R.J. McDonald is one of our country's most highly respected wildlife artists. For over twenty-five years his paintings and prints have been enthusiastically collected by knowledgeable art collectors.

After graduating from the Harris School of Art, McDonald worked for several
years as a successful illustrator and free-lance commercial artist. Later he
decided to leave the security of commercial art and become a full time painter of wildlife and outdoor subjects. His timing was excellent, as the limited edition collector market was expanding rapidly at this time. His wildlife art career also received a substantial boost when the Governor of Tennessee commissioned him to paint the official portrait of the state's bird, the Mockingbird.

Over the years Ralph, as his friends call him, has made numerous contributions to conservation groups. Among these groups are: Ducks Unlimited, Game Conservation International, Deer Unlimited and The National Wild Turkey Federation. In 1981 Ducks Unlimited named him its' National Artist of the Year and the sale of his prints at D.U. auctions have raised millions of dollars for that organization. This year Ducks Unlimited and the National Wild Turkey Federation each selected a McDonald painting to publish as a print for their national fund raising projects.

McDonald's work is included in prestigious art collections throughout the United States. Among his credits are: The recipient of Ducks Unlimited Palette and Chisel award; He is listed in WHO'S WHO IN WILDLIFE ART; He has been artist of the Year for The Southeastern Wildlife Exposition (1988), The World Wildlife Exposition (1990), and The Southern Wildlife Exposition (1993). Through the years he has created the designs for several states' duck stamps. In 1994 he was commissioned to design the Kentucky and Tennessee duck stamps.