Raised in Colorado, Ralph always knew he would be an artist. The freedom to move about and enjoy the wonders of the world fit his temperament. After a brief stint in commercial illustration, Ralph began to support himself with his paintings. Wildlife dominated his interest for over 10 years. Repeated appearances at the Leigh Yawkey Woodson Museum’s “Birds in Art” show in the early 1980s and election to the Society of Animal Artists were high points in his young career. The works of Rungius, Liljefors, and Kuhnert inspired his development. Rungius’ field sketches pointed out the need for on-the-spot references.
Consequently, Oberg changed the direction of his career in 1987. He began to study with some of the contemporary plein air masters of the day. For the past decade, he has focused on painting the landscape on location as a means of learning the colors and values of the natural world and how to capture a sense of the moment and place.
Ralph received the Weiss Award at the 1988 Buffalo Bill Art Show in Cody. His award-winning painting is included in the Center of the West’s permanent collection. His work is also in the collection of the International Center for Wildlife Art in Gloucester, England. A large Oberg landscape hangs permanently in the House Chambers of the Colorado State Capitol Building. In addition, his works are in numerous private and corporate collections, and have been exhibited at the National Museum of Wildlife Art, Autry National Center, National Cowboy and Western Heritage Museum, Los Angeles County Natural History Museum, Loveland Museum, and International Center for Wildlife Art in Britain. Feature articles on Oberg’s work have appeared in Art of the West, Southwest Art, Wildlife Art News, and Sporting Classics magazines.
Since 1999, Ralph has given painting workshops for the Loveland Academy of Fine Arts (CO), Fredericksburg Art School (TX), Fechin Institute (NM), Scottsdale Artists’ School (AZ), and Willow Wisp Farm Studio (NC).
Recently, animal subjects have begun to reappear in Oberg’s work, combining his natural drawing ability and accumulated knowledge of animals with a more impressionistic painting technique. Today, Ralph and his wife, painter Shirley Novak, sketch the natural beauty they find near and far. These sketches are used to develop larger works in their studio and home in Southwest Colorado.