Terry Redlin's artwork, titled "O beautiful for spacious skies," is a captivating print that presents a horizontally composed landscape, offering viewers a glimpse of the breathtaking wilderness of North America as it was experienced by early immigrants. The landscape showcases expansive, lush vegetation and a mountain range in the background, blanketed in snow under the vast blue sky. An eagle soars high above the travelers who are positioned on the right side of the composition.

The focal point of the artwork is a procession of horse-drawn caravans, accompanied by dogs and solitary horseback riders. In the foreground, a dog discovers a cow or buffalo skull, serving almost as a memento mori—a reminder of human fragility in the face of the vast and overpowering natural setting.

Details:
Artist: Terry Redlin
Title: "O beautiful for spacious skies" (from the series "America the Beautiful")
Medium: Giclee on canvas
Date: Painted in 1990; printed in 1992
Dimensions: 19 x 13 in
Condition Report: Overall good condition
Notes: Signed lower right

About the artist:
Terry Redlin (1937 - 2016) was a renowned artist who created his works from his studio near Watertown on Lake Kampeska in South Dakota. His paintings reflect a vision of life as he believed it should be—a sentimentalist and romantic perspective that diverged from avant-garde artistic movements. Reproductions of his art are widely distributed through Hadley House in Bloomington, Minnesota.

Redlin's love for wildlife and nature in the Lake Kampeska region during his childhood became the foundation for his artistic endeavors. As a teenager, a motorcycle accident resulted in the loss of one of his legs. Determined not to succumb to self-pity, he devoted himself to art. He accepted a scholarship from his home state and later pursued art studies in Minnesota, including at Brown & Bigelow in Saint Paul. To support himself, he took on freelance illustration work.

In 1967, he settled his family in the Twin Cities and worked for Webb Publishing Co, gaining skills in four-color reproduction. Alongside his printing job, he continued to develop his wildlife paintings and realized that his art was becoming more financially rewarding than his printing career. In the 1980s, he transitioned to creating sentimental Americana paintings, with his first piece being "Coming Home," a heartwarming rural Christmas snow scene.

In 1996, Terry Redlin returned to his childhood home in South Dakota, a successful and wealthy man. To repay the state for his original scholarship, he funded the construction of the $10 million Redlin Art Center—a 52,000-square-foot facility that opened in 1997. Designed by his son Charles, who was also his business manager, the center houses 105 of Terry Redlin's paintings. Situated at the intersection of Interstate 29 and U.S. Highway 212, the art center offers free admission, a 30-acre nature park, and a large movie theater. The facility has significantly boosted the economy of Watertown, attracting over 400,000 visitors annually.

Terry Redlin was dedicated to giving back, and he actively supported organizations like Ducks Unlimited, which is committed to wildlife preservation, and the Courage Center in the Twin Cities, an organization that helps rehabilitate individuals injured in accidents. His artistic legacy endures, celebrated for its nostalgic and emotive portrayal of American life and landscapes.