Isaiah Ratterman is an award-winning artist living and working in Greenwood Village, Colorado. Growing up in Ohio, he attended the University of Cincinnati for his BFA. Then moved to Philadelphia to study at The Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts, for his Masters of Fine Arts, where he honed his artistic voice and love of traditional realism. After his studies were done, he settled in Colorado to fulfill his draw to the outdoors. There you will find him mountaineering Colorado’s high peaks all year round. He met his wife in Colorado a few years later, and now they have a growing family with two little girls.

His life has been immersed in the arts by not only his studio practice, but also teaching as a professor of fine arts in Denver before departing it to focus solely on his paintings. He is recognized by notable organizations such as the Society of Animal Artists, as one of their Signature Members, and is also a member of Oil Painters of America. From figurative to wildlife, his work spans a wide range of subjects and has exhibited across the country. His draw to being outdoors led to the inevitable interest in landscape and wildlife art, as he has traveled the country extensively, spending considerable time in the majority of its national parks. This artwork also acts as a means to further the agenda of conservation and protection of our remaining wild places, as Isaiah donates a portion of these sales to conservation organizations.

He finds inspiration from his experiences, and his work acts as a means of deciphering them. This could be from his immersive journeys in the landscape and its creatures, or hidden moments that revealed themselves in unexpected ways. He believes there is an intangible truth to be found in our everyday existence, and through his work, he hopes to touch upon it.

Zaya, as he signs his work, is a shorthand moniker of his name given to him by his family.

Artist Statement:

My work is a reflection of experiences I hold close and acts as a means for deciphering them. This inspiration could be derived from immersive journeys in the landscape and its inhabitants, or hidden moments that reveal themselves in unexpected ways. There is an intangible truth to be found in our everyday existence, and through my work, I hope to touch upon it.