Artist Focus: Duane Frey

Duane Frey is a self-taught wildlife artist whose work in graphite captures the soul of the animals he draws. He prefers working in graphite to bring out powerful contrasts—light and shadow, softness and strength, stillness and motion. “Working in graphite allows me to strip all the other noise away,” Frey says. “It puts the focus solely on the animal—its expression, the alertness in its eyes, the tension in its muscles, and the vulnerability of its environment.”

Royalty, graphite, 16 x 11½ in.

Mid Day, graphite, 18 x 22 in.

Frey’s path into art was not straightforward. Though his talent was clear from a young age, life led him down a different path. For years, he worked in construction, his sketchbooks and pencils packed away. But one day, on a dare, he picked up his pencil again—and everything changed. What started as a playful challenge quickly became a new direction altogether that reshaped the course of his life. Today, Frey is a full-time artist. Each new piece he creates is more than just a drawing. It is a testament to hours spent outdoors, observing and studying wildlife—a tribute to the animals that continue to inspire his artistic journey. —