West of Pickstown. 2023. Oil on Canvas. Jim Sturdevant.

“I am fascinated by the land on the west side of the Missouri River in the Bonesteel and Burke, SD area,” said Sturdevant. This painting depicts a view looking south from US Highway 18 just west of the bridge over Missouri River and Fort Randall Dam. “It was a warm and rainy August morning. The scene appeared mystical.”

Jim Sturdevant’s art transports viewers to a time and place. He hopes viewers can not only see, but almost smell, hear, and feel the environment. He seeks and strives to represent uncommon beauty. Jim paints landscapes, urbanscapes, architecture, and golf courses. He loves the challenge of commissions, creating art requested by others—a rare trait in artists. Born in Sioux Falls in 1955, Jim grew up in Dell Rapids. He has created art throughout his entire life, but his vocation has been in science and business. He has worked in the government, private, non-profit, and education sectors. He is currently the Director of the Master of Business Administration Program at Augustana University. He earned a Doctorate in Leadership from the University of St. Thomas in Minneapolis, a masters in geography from Oklahoma State University, and a geography degree with an art minor from South Dakota State University. Sturdevant lives in Sioux Falls with his wife of 43 years, Diane Sturdevant, a retired pharmacist. They have two married children and three grandchildren.