Chris Chantland has been painting for over 40 years.

Chris has been the official artist of the National Retriever Club and National Amateur Retriever Club since 2001. Every year he paints the winning dog of the respective Nationals to the clubs and the clubs give it to the dog's owner, courtesy of Eukanuba.

Chris specializes in dog and people portraits, and has combined the two for many commissions over the years.

He exhibits at the Plantation Wildlife Arts Festival and Easton Waterfowl Festival. His paintings have graced the covers of Retriever Journal, Pointing Dog Journal and the Callbacks Directory, as well as being featured in other magazines such as The American Field and web sites.

At least three of his paintings, including portraits of Rex Carr and Mike Lardy, are in the Retriever Hall of Fame at the Bird Dog Museum in Grand Junction, TN.

Chris’ paintings are in the collections of people like Ted Turner, Mac and Lynn DuBose, Luann Pleasant, Tommy Parish, Jan Blount, Charlie and Jeannie Chapin, Sallie Sullivan, and more.

Chris has been a sponsor of the Master National Retriever Hunt Test, the Ruffed Grouse Society and Quail Unlimited.

In December of last year, Chris started Sporting Artisans,™ an on-line retail web site that represents many of the nation's most talented sporting artists.

Sporting Artisans.com combines the most talented sporting artists from around the country onto one site. Categories include paintings, prints, sculptures, home furnishings, jewelry, ceramics, apparel, food, music and more. The unique thing about the site is that anything can be customized. Basically, customers are not limited to what they see there, but can combine artist's work to make one custom piece. There are also exclusive works offered - like Patton crystal, leaping lab belts, ceramic lab tiles etc.

Photo: Courtesy of the Traverse City Record Eagle