Dennis Anderson was a realist, impressionist, and representational oil painter and sculptor of wildlife. He was interested not in how other people see an animal, but in the impression the animal made on him.

As a child, Anderson had many pets such as rabbits, raccoons, and foxes which were an inspiration and source of art for him. When he became older, he regularly went through the motions of hunting, but would use a camera instead of a gun. He attended the Art Center School for two years, then worked briefly as a scientific illustrator and for a greeting card company.

He was a member of the National Academy of Western Art and is represented by Wildlife World Art Museum. Anderson has works shown publicly at the Benson Park Sculpture Center, Loveland, CO; Topeka Zoo, Topeka, KS; Tulsa Zoo, Tulsa, OK; Oklahoma City Zoo, Oklahoma City, OK; Springfield Zoo, Springfield, MO; Detroit Zoo, Detroit, MI.