Wayne Trimm Archive

A Legacy of Nature and Wildlife Art

Welcome to the Wayne Trimm Archive

This archive celebrates the legacy of Wayne Trimm’s Nature and Wildlife Art. If you appreciate his work, please help us reach our goal of finding homes for these paintings, drawings and sketches. If you are interested in inquiring about any pieces that you see, or just want to reach out to us, please Contact Us

Wayne and Lynn Trimm with baby Steve Trimm and golden eagle, 1948

The Artist

Wayne Trimm comes to wildlife painting through a background of science. Wayne grew up in an art oriented family: his father, Lee S. Trimm was a well known portrait painter in Syracuse, New York; his brother Lee was a portrait and mural painter; and his sister, Rietta, was a costume and stage designer. From his earliest recollections, Wayne was interested in nature and wildlife, so it was not surprising that he majored in the biological sciences where he picked up degrees in biology, wildlife management and forestry, and taught in these subjects at Kansas State University.

Wayne moved to New York 1953, where he was active in conservation education, writing, editing, and riding herd on pictures and layout for the award-winning New York State Conservationist magazine. He also edited the Outdoor Communicator, the magazine for the New York State Outdoor Education Association, and The Catuses, a wildlife art magazine published by the Society of Animal Artists.

Wayne wrote and spoke extensively on ecology and wildlife art, designed and prepared several dioramas, painted several murals, and has illustrated many books and magazines, including for Time-Life, Readers Digest, Audubon Society, National Wildlife Federation, the Smithsonian Institute, Johns Hopkins Press, Outdoor Life, Communication Arts, New York Times, Winchester Press, Doubleday and Company, and MacMillan Publishing Co. In addition, he is listed in the Who’s Who in American Art.

He traveled to many parts of the world to sketch, paint and photograph wildlife. He helped found the Pope and Young bowhunting trophy club, the International Bowhunter Education Foundation, the South Dakota Ornithological Union, and many local bird and nature clubs. He was active with youth groups and schools, and was a guest speaker at the American Museum of Natural History.

Wayne organized major wildlife art shows in New York State, in addition to having his own work exhibited in many shows throughout the country. His art teaching includes the Adirondack Art Center, SUNY at Albany, College of St. Rose in Albany, Asa Wright Nature Center in Trinidad, the Sagamore Institute at Raquette Lake, N.Y. and many other seminars and workshops. His writings and illustrations enhance many art books.

Most of all, Wayne knowledge of nature came from first-hand experience. Part of his graduate work was on animal behavior, directing his keen observation to in-depth interpretation which shows in his art work. In Wayne Trimm, the world of science and art find a common and productive meeting ground.

Wayne Trimm was never without a pencil and sketchpad throughout his life.

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