Terry Redlin, the famed outdoor artist, has passed. Redlin died Sunday night after a long battle with Alzheimer’s. He was 78.

Redlin was a native of Watertown, S.D, born there July 11, 1937. He was a Master Artist with a special emphasis on outdoor scenes. He used his incredible talents to depict Americana at its finest, focusing much of his lengthy career on rural areas and the wildlife they held. His use of multiple light sources in a single painting made him a fantastically popular artist in a class all his own.

His many accolades include two wins of the Minnesota Duck Stamp contest, a South Dakota elementary school named in his honor, and his eight consecutive years (1991-98) as US. Art magazine’s “America’s Most Popular Artist.”

Redlin suffered from dementia for nine years, the cause of his retirement from painting and print signing in 2007. He ultimately succumbed to complications associated with the disease in a care center in Watertown.

South Dakota’s Gov. Dennis Daugaard made a statement regarding the late artist’s passing:

“Terry Redlin was an iconic South Dakota artist. For many South Dakotans, Terry’s work brought to life our fondest memories of our state’s outdoor heritage and rural roots. He has left a legacy in Watertown and throughout the nation, and Linda [Daugaard] and I extend our deepest sympathies to the Redlin family.”

Gov. Daugaard requested that flags be flown at half staff to honor Redlin on the day of his burial, the date of which had not been determined as of press time. The Redlin Art Center said via social media that arrangements had not yet been finalized.

Redlin was a long-time friend of Sporting Classics Editor Charles Wechsler. Chuck will be writing a tribute to Redlin for the next issue of the print magazine.