Artist Jack Paluh (pronounced pa-lew), resides in Northwestern Pennsylvania in the small borough of Waterford with his wife Marian and their three children. Jack was a “constant doodler” from the time he was old enough to hold a pencil. His teachers recognized Jack’s talents early and encouraged him to continue developing his art skills following high school. But being young, Paluh had other ideas, and found work as a truck driver.

His life changed drastically however, in the autumn of 1982, when he was injured in a hunting accident. “While I was bow hunting, my treestand collapsed beneath me and I fell 20 feet to the ground, cracking a vertebra in my back,” Jack remembers, “but God was faithful, and provided me with an opportunity to find the silver lining in a very dark cloud.” Paluh is referring to his recuperation period when he painted a white-tailed deer painting titled Monday Morning. “That was nearly 30 years ago,” says Paluh, “and so began my career as a fulltime nature artist.”

“I often sketch or paint outdoors first to capture color and setting,” states Paluh, “then move indoors to refine the painting. Color and lighting are important aspects in my work. My goal is to have the viewer’s eyes flow comfortably through a piece and to draw them into the canvas. I want the person to feel as if they have visited the place I’m painting.”

“All of nature continues to fascinate and inspire me. The older I become, the more I realize how intricate our natural world is created. I truly enjoy the time spent outdoors as it is my time to pray, dream and compose.” Jack is a devoted bowhunter and naturalist. Many of his paintings have been created while sitting in his tree stand.

Hunting is the lifeline of Paluh’s artwork. He is an avid turkey hunter, and chasing white-tailed deer with a bow and arrow comes in a close second. In recent years, with the acquisition of several Labrador retrievers, he also has taken up duck and goose hunting. “Even on a hunting day that has been less than successful, I still return home with ideas. I file those ideas away and use them in future paintings,” states Jack.

Jack Paluh has received many honors in his career as a nature artist, but none more significant to him than meeting and talking with the people who have enjoyed and purchased his artwork. Whether at an art show or during a chance meeting in passing, Jack is never too busy to answer questions about his paintings or swap a few hunting stories.

“God has truly blessed me with a job that I love,” concludes Jack Paluh. “I encourage others to find their talents and develop them. It is my privilege and honor to share my artwork with others, and to inspire them – especially our youth – with the wonders of our natural world.”