Ralph Oberg was born and reared in Colorado, where he spent much of his youth hiking and climbing in the mountain wilderness. From an early age, he knew he wanted to pursue a career in art. He studied for two years at Colorado State University on an art scholarship, took some vocational training, and then worked briefly as a commercial illustrator before beginning his full-time career as an artist. After painting wildlife art for more than ten years, he became dissatisfied with his photographic approach and in 1987 began to study with many of the great Western plein-air landscape painters. Oberg and his wife, painter Shirley Novak, now travel extensively, sketching on-site and producing larger works in their studio in Montrose, Colorado.

Oberg's work is in numerous private and corporate collections as well as the Buffalo Bill Historical Center, Cody, Wyoming; the International Center for Wildlife Art, Gloucester, England; and the House of Representatives Chambers ofthe Colorado State Capitol, Denver. He is a member ofthe Society of Animal Artists and the Plein-Air Painters of America. He became a full member ofthe Northwest Rendezvous Group in August 2001. His work has appeared in Art of the West, Southwest Art, and Sporting Classics magazines.