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David Utterback (born April 9th, 1954) in New York, died June 12th 2007 in Portal, Arizona. Artist, entomology expert, scientist, naturalist. Examples of Utterback's work include incredibly detailed pencil drawings of wildlife he saw around his home in southeastern Arizona. His work can be seen in ten different galleries around the western United States. His main subjects included birds, and his work was very popular with the many birdwatchers, wildlife experts, students, and biologists who visited Portal, which is often thought of by its residents and visitors as one of arizona's best kept secrets. Utterback was loved by many friends and family and had frequent visits at his cabin by people looking for specific birds like the elegant trogon, which he would show them with the same familiarity and sensitivity that one would use to introduce two friends.

In addition to his artwork, Utterback had a passion for theoretical physics and was known to be working on a research paper for the last 25 years of his life, which he never finished. [more information needed]. He also loved butterflies since he was a young boy growing up in the Adirondack mountains of northern New York, and could easily identify any species.

Utterback's daily activities included hiking, bird and butterfly watching, and building himself a house to be run on solar energy. He also enjoyed visiting New Orleans every year for Marti Gras and would love to tell stories from those days. [more information needed].

David Utterback grew up in the Adirondack Mountains of New York State. He began collecting butterflies and moths at an early age, and this eventually interest led to a degree in Entomology from the School of Environmental Science and Forestry in Syracuse, New York. David now spends winters in Colorado where the back-country skiing is outstanding, and summers in Arizona where the birding is exceptional. He has enjoyed a full-time career as a wildlife artist since 1991.

Dave, on his drawings:

“In the past I have done some work in watercolor, but over the years I have come to prefer the subtlety of pencil drawing for several reasons. A number of my pictures would not work in color; added color would interfere with the balance of the composition, or upset the mood I am trying to project. In many of my drawings I am hoping to evoke the same peaceful, clear, and attentive feeling that comes from spending time in the wilderness. An absence of color often helps to preserve this feeling.

“Then too, with the modern-day onslaught of in-your-face advertising we have closed down our senses to the point where a walk in the woods can seem relatively dull. Finding beauty in a black and white drawing may help lead others to rekindle their interest in nature.

“For this reason I like to choose more ordinary subjects for my drawings. It is easy to draw an exciting picture of a Snow Leopard. I prefer the challenge that is found in composing an exciting picture of a backyard bird. A successful drawing of an ordinary subject might encourage someone to take a second look at the extraordinary beauty of the everyday world around us.

“Enjoying the beauty of nature may well be the first step toward understanding the value of the natural world. In the man-made world we can measure ourselves only against ourselves, and our societal conventions become self-imposed limitations. In the world of nature we can measure ourselves against infinity, and there find the freedom to explore the mystery of existence.”