Beyond the Canvas: How John Banovich Turned Art Into a Wild, Living Legacy

By Peter Noah at Medium

John Banovich is an internationally recognized fine artist and conservation advocate, celebrated for his large, dramatic portrayals of iconic wildlife. But to call him simply a painter would overlook the full scope of his creative and conservation legacy. Over the past five decades, Banovich has built more than a celebrated career — he’s built a world. One where oil paint, immersive experiences, global travel, and real-world impact come together with a singular mission: to protect the wild and help us remember we are still part of it.

It began, as many lifelong callings do, in childhood — with a boy, a sketchpad, and the mountains of Montana.

A Childhood Steeped in Wilderness

“My early years were spent in Butte, Montana, getting lost in the mountains with my father,” Banovich recalls. “He was my mentor and forest guide, and he fostered in me a love for nature. Out there with the animals is where I found my religion.”

At just seven years old, Banovich created his first oil painting, inspired by The Jungle Book. “I imagined I was Mowgli, living among wild characters. I sat at our dining table trying to get the shading right on Baloo’s belly.” His parents nurtured his creativity — his mother even allowing him to mix oils on her oak table — and his father buying early works to teach him the value of what he was creating.

“I’ve been painting nearly every day since,” he says. “Art isn’t just what I do. It’s who I am.”

And while he calls himself “an artist first and a naturalist second,” Banovich believes it was the animals who ultimately chose him. Now, 54 years later, he continues to explore and evolve within the medium of oil painting, drawing not just from technique but from lived experience — decades of travel to the world’s wildest places, tracking and studying the very subjects he brings to life on canvas.

The Lion’s Den by John Banovich

The Lion’s Den: Building an Immersive World

In 2005, Banovich’s creative vision took a new form with The Lion’s Den, a 20,000-square-foot European manor house set atop 250 acres in Virginia. The project was more than a home — it was an experience.

“I’ve always felt like a closet architect,” he says. “This was my chance to create beyond the edge of the canvas.”

From the driveway approach to the placement of each painting, the space was designed to engage its occupants in a narrative — one steeped in reverence for the lion and its symbolic power. Working alongside a dynamic design team, Banovich integrated art moments throughout the home to subtly immerse viewers in a cohesive, interactive theme.

“We created one of the world’s most unique properties — and a lifelong friendship in the process.”