Chris Pfister, is a Yale-trained artist living in Wyoming for the past twenty years, creating an impressive body of artwork including serene oil paintings of the state's vast deserts. After decades in New York City and the East Coast, Pfister re-connected with his roots and love of the natural world and moved to a ranch on Gooseberry Creek, near Cody, Wyoming where the expansive and spectacular views of the timeless West roll into infinity. 

Pfister makes all of his own flaxseed oil derived paints, a practice which he has spent decades perfecting, working and re-working various oil mixtures in order to find the perfect consistency for each homemade pigment he uses. The artist starts each day in the studio by mixing colors. This devoted practice deepens his relationship with painting and creates a uniqueness in his work which is visible and palpable. 

In 1975, Pfister moved to Lewiston, Maine, to attend Bates College. In 1977, Pfister spent a year and a half studying at the New York Studio School, a unique and important institution founded by Mercedes Matter, a former student of Hans Hofmann. Pfister returned to Bates College later in 1978 where a French professor encouraged him to begin new studies in Provence, France (Pfister's mother was a French native).  Pfister worked from 1978-79 at The Lacoste School of the Arts with painter Paul Resika, among others. Pfister received his bachelors in Fine Arts from Bates College in 1980. After completing his undergraduate studies, Pfister returned to live in New York City but found himself with too little time for painting; he soon moved to Upstate New York. There he worked on a horse farm, doing the groundwork for racehorses. During his years in Upstate New York, Pfister rose early each morning, and completed his work on the farm by the early afternoon, so he could spend the remainder of his day painting. In this period of time, he created an impressive body of artwork and applied to the masters program in fine arts at Yale University, where he earned his MFA in 1985.