In 1976, a Rick Hill painting first appeared on the cover of Kentucky Afield, the official magazine of the Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources. Hill joined the department as a fisheries technician a decade later. His job, which included pulling nets of fish, gave him access to the specimens he needed for his artwork.

Realizing his talent was better served elsewhere, Hill became the department’s first full-time artist in 1994. He soon began work on a limited series of four “Restoring Our Wildlife Heritage” prints sold to the public. His work since then has included a series of five aquatic ecosystems posters used by educators across the country.

Hill’s meticulous depictions of sporting scenes, animals and fish have graced the covers of Kentucky Afield magazine since 2000. Drivers will also see his illustrations on five of the specialty license plates issued in the state of Kentucky.

Both the National Association of Government Communicators and the Association of Conservation Information have bestowed Hill with national awards for his artwork. Hill’s works also appear in various publications for the U.S. Forest Service and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. (https://fw.ky.gov)