Keith Batcheller was born in the foothills of the San Gabriel Mountains near Los Angeles, California.  He grew up admiring the images of the Southwest, the Old West and the native peoples of America.  His early love of art led him to study at the prestigious Art Center College of Design where he earned a BFA with honors.  Later selected by the Art Center to attend post graduate courses in Connecticut, Keith studied with some of the country's most acclaimed artists including Bob Peak, Mark English, Bernie Fuchs, and Bob Heindel.

 

 Keith began his professional career in New York City as an illustrator, and for the following thirty years he worked for major clients in New York, Chicago and the West Coast creating paintings used in the fields of advertising, publishing and the movie industry.  He has done a significant amount of very recognizable work for Walt Disney Productions including movie posters for Pochahontas, Beauty and the Beast, and Lilo and Stitch, just to mention a few.

 

 He now devotes time and energy to his true passion: painting western scenes and the variety of people who lived in bygone eras, as well as those who live in the contemporary west.  Keith enjoys working mostly in oils on canvas using a style known as "Painterly Realism."  Telling a story and conveying a sense of emotion through each painting is Keith's goal.....one which provides enduring enjoyment for all who see his work.

 

 Keith has been honored with many accolades and awards in his career including the "Gold Medal" for Best Oil Painting at the 37th Annual San Dimas Festival of Art and last year he won the Peoples Choice Award at the 28th Annual Cattlemen's Western Art Show in Paso Robles, California.