Maynard Reece had long since realized his early ambition to become a successful wildlife artist. His fifth victory in the Duck Stamp competition is "proof positive" of that. But now Mr. Reece has a new goal in hi life. In order to attain a still higher quality in his work, he has decided to turn down far more assignments than he accepts. The aim of his new attitude is to improve his work constantly, with the hope of one-day making a lasting contribution to society and to the art form he enjoys. Looking at this ability, perfectionism, and capacity for work, this does not seem to be an impossible mission for him.

Mr. Reece broke his own outstanding record in the annals of the Duck Stamp competition when his design was selected as the best in the contest for the fifth time. No other man in the history of the competition has a record so outstanding- a record that truly represents the respect he has gained for the wildlife are he has been producing for so long. With the respect, comes curiosity as to what makes this unusual and talented man tick.

There is little information in a straight biography that gives us a clue. Mr. Reece was the son of a Quaker minister, and it is not surprising to find out that he leads a calm life. It is a lifestyle filled with hard work and quiet pleasures. Mr. Reece gains his special feeling for wildlife from a background that he had in common with almost all wildlife artists. As with many of the well-known wildlife artists of the country, Mr. Reece's interests and abilities spring from a childhood of country living.

Of course, his natural talent has been developed by years of study. Over the years, the subjects he has studied have included biology, botany, taxidermy, anatomy of wildlife, and related natural sciences. This careful training has assured his reputation for accuracy, even among sportsmen, who are known to be an intensely observant breed themselves.

But even with his scientific training, Mr. Reece knows that the rapport with nature is a delicate web of impressions and philosophy, which constantly needs to be renewed. In a city, this rapport weakens. But a successful artist must also be a businessman, and there is a family to consider. Mr. Reece is well aware that it is difficult to be a Thoreau these days. Consequently, he has neatly resolved the dilemma by dividing his life into two parts. During the winter, he lives in a beautiful home in Des Moines and during the summer, he spends his time on 31 wooded acres beside a small lake in northern Minnesota. He does take longer trips at various times of the year, but in general, Mr. Reece feels that home is the Midwest, which he says, "is never very far from anywhere."

Mr. Reece hopes that the city/country combination will provide him with the right environment in which to pursue his new goal of higher quality in his paintings.

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