Chuck Black's upbringing in the outdoors provided him with a passion for nature ever since he can remember. Born in Minnesota, what he remembers most is always trying to capture his time spent outside on paper. He has always loved to draw, but somewhere in his heart, he knew that wildlife conservation was what he really wanted to devote his life to. After high school, he attended the University of North Dakota where he received a degree in wildlife biology. For the next seven years thereafter, Chuck traveled to work for national parks and wildlife agencies across the country.

Even though Chuck loved working in the field, his painting began to grow more and more as a part of his life. After relocating back to Montana in 2015, he took the leap to pursue his passion for art full-time after his artwork had recently been selected for both the California and Colorado state duck stamps.

Over the next 10 years, Chuck sought to progress both his work in oils and the connections shared with his subjects, eventually leading him to winning the 2023 Federal Duck Stamp Contest. He hopes to use the opportunity to further his message of conservation storytelling and his mission to leave a positive impact on natural resources.

My passion lies in the outdoors, and art is my way of expressing that. I've dedicated my life to learning about the wild places around us and the animals that roam them. I feel like I have a story to tell, one which I can only convey through my work. My hope is that one day, through the creation of many paintings, I'm able to share this story in enough depth that it helps further our appreciation of and relationship with nature.