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Duane Hada brings a unique, aesthetic appreciation to the sport of angling. Duane credits his life-long passion as artist and angler to being raised close to nature in the rural Ozarks’ Buffalo River country. Growing up surrounded by some of God’s greatest handiwork fuels the creative inspiration that has blended beautifully into a career as both angler and artist.
When asked about his vocation, he’ll quickly tell you some days he’s an artist who guides, and some days he’s a guide who paints. Either way, his clients cherish another memory of a great day spent on the water.
Duane’s recognition as both artist and angler has been honored with numerous awards and accolades, locally as well as nationally. His art has graced trout stamp designs, wildlife calendars, and trout regulation manuals. A very prolific artist, Duane’s originals adorn banks, famous trout and saltwater lodges, as well as the Governor’s mansion. His highly sought after art has helped raise funds for FFF, Trout Unlimited, The Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation, St. Jude Hooked on a Cure, and numerous other conservation groups and organizations. He is the illustrator for Ozark Trout Tales, Home Waters, and created the popular 2005 Arkansas Game & Fish Foundation license plate with a White River rainbow trout scene. His angling peers have honored him with the first fly-rod Master Angler Award from the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission in 1989. He received the Silver Medal for the coaching the US Youth fly fishing team in the FIPS Mouche International Fly Fishing Competition in Wales. His art and fly fishing has allowed him to travel and experience many of the great angling destinations of the world.
Duane’s clients are often eager to have their outdoor adventures memorialized by him. His sketches, acrylics or watercolors frequently become prize possessions as souvenirs for his angling friends. Upon receiving his recently finished flats scene, one client stated: “I may never own a Homer, but I’ve got a Hada.”
Awards and
Recognitions
2008 Springfield Art Museum MOAK Juried Exhibition
2008 Arkansas Governor’s Mansion
Association Collection
2007 Arkansas Governor’s Mansion
Association Collection
2007 Best of Show – Midsouth
Watercolor Society
2007 UCA 100th year
Alumni Celebration featured artist
Baum Gallery
2007 People’s Choice Award - Area
Art Association
2007 Best of Show 6 x 6 – Area Art
Association
Federation of Flyfishers National
Conclave
Anniversary Commemorative Plate
Featured Artist
2006 One-Man Show – Center for Art
and Education, VanBuren, AR
One-Man Show – Gallery Central, Hot Springs AR
Celebrity Artist for Arkansas Eggshibition Charity Ball
First Place, Wildlife Division – Four State Ouachita Festival
2005 Arkansas State License Plate design
Saint Jude’s Hooked on a Cure print
artist
Book Illustrations and Cover Design:
Somebody’s Got To Do It,
Ozark Trout Tales,
Way of the Wind,
Arkansas Trout Stamp Design
1987-2003 Arkansas Game & Fish
Commission Calendar
Arkansas Game & Fish Commission
Trout Manual cover designs
Silver Medalist Team USA International Flyfishing Youth
Coach
Arvest Bank corporate and private
collections
Twin Lakes Community Bank corporate
collection
First Federal Bank private
collection
Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation
original donor
Wild Turkey Federation original
donor
Trout Unlimited original donor
Federation of Flyfishers original
donor
New Halen Lodge, Alaska – décor
Plein Aire painter – Colorfest on
the Buffalo, Ponca, AR
International Wildlife Symposium, Kelona British Columbia
Governor Mike Huckabee private
collection Arkansas Game and Fish, Fred
Berry Center Collection

In addition to numerous private and
corporate collections, Duane’s artwork has helped fund
and support many conservation groups and charitable
organizations
Duane is currently working on a long-term commission to paint the five
waterway ecosystems of Arkansas
for the Arkansas Game & Fish Commission
Duane holds a BSE in Art from the University of Central Arkansas. He has also received certification from the Federation of Fly Fishers as an instructor. He has taught numerous courses and workshops at local colleges and universities in fly fishing and art. His various slide presentation programs are popular with fly fishing clubs and conservation organizations.
When you see Duane streamside staring into the water mesmerized by the sight of a wild finny creature suspended over a kaleidoscope palette of swaying rock and moss, he’s just contemplating whether to reach for the rod or the brush, or hopefully both.
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