Chester Fields
Born in The Dalles, Oregon and raised in British Columbia, Chester Fields spent his youth observing, drawing, and painting his surroundings. The beautiful Northwest inspired him each time he opened his door to the cattle ranches and wheat farms he worked on as a boy.
His childhood was very demanding of him, requiring many hours of hard labor and numerous relocations. His hard work only drove his passions and seeded his dedication. Fields spent his free time with pencil and paints in hand—his passion for the beauty around him and firsthand experience observing each subject is revealed through his detailed and unique style.
Shortly after graduating from a graphic design program at a college in Spokane, Washington, Fields was drafted into the Army. An assignment as staff artist at an American base in Germany provided him with the opportunity to visit the great museums of Europe. For two years, Fields soaked up works by da Vinci, Rembrandt, Caravaggio, Michelangelo, and Rodin, studying their techniques in detail. When Fields returned home, he worked briefly as a commercial designer in an international electronics sign company, a job that eventually launched his career as a professional artist. He began with two-dimensional art, painting in acrylic and egg tempera, creating images of the things he knew best—the birds and animals of his native northwest country.
As these paintings began to sell at shows and galleries, he received recognition from prestigious groups such as the Western Artists of America. After 20 years in the business, his works had escalated into the $30,000 to $50,000 range.
When choosing subject matter for his bronzes, Fields knew birds would be a popular choice. The artist finally narrowed his selection to the eagle because it has a universality that makes it a popular image even in the international marketplace. The fierce power and beauty of the swift, far-seeing eagle captures the vibrant spirit of the wilderness.
Graceful and majestic, the eagle is among the most revered of all creatures. Far more ancient than the age of man, the eagle race dates back twenty-five million years somewhere along the Asian coast of the south Pacific. Inhabiting practically every part of the world, the eagle is borderless in its appeal and puts man’s own existence into perspective.