Ty Hallock: Art from the Guide’s-Eye View

Ty first built his reputation on painting Cliff fly boxes.
All photos by Ty Hallock

Tyler Hallock grew up in the Black Hills of South Dakota, where he often explored the back roads and hidden fishing streams and lakes in the area. He developed his love of fishing while spending time on the water with his dad and brother, and it was his mother who fostered his artistic, creative side. In college, Ty majored in art for the first two years, but then switched to wildlife management. He jokes that, not wanting to be a starving artist, he changed majors to be a starving and traveling biologist, but the combination turned out to be perfect for a wildlife artist.

Yeti coolers provide a larger canvas for these colorful artworks.

Throughout many seasonal positions with state and government agencies across the country, Ty’s art was always there with him, and he taught himself how to do everything from tying flies to carving decoys. While working at Malheur Wildlife Refuge in Southeastern Oregon, he became fascinated drawing and painting things close-up. His current work reflects this perspective.

A trout like this one is an inspiration when you’re choosing a fly.

In 2003 Ty and his wife settled in Casper, Wyoming, where he now guides for the Ugly Bug Fly Shop on the North Platte River. Seeing so many beautiful trout come to his net has focused his art on fish. Some of the guides he works asked if Ty could put fish on their fly-boxes, so he using Sharpies to create art on Cliff boxes, which are made right down the street from the fly shop. Ty enjoys seeing the individuality of every fish caught, and having inspiration literally in the palm of my hands every day.

For more information on Ty Hallock’s art, visit his website.

Catch-and-release sets commemorate fish of a lifetime.