86 Linda Lee Nelson

June 15, 2020

86 Linda Lee Nelson

Linda Lee Nelson is a wonderful, award-winning painter from St. Paul, Minnesota. She paints primarily portraits, but not your typical bust in a dark background. Linda takes her subjects outdoors where she finds rich warm sunlight that fills her world with saturated glowing colors. Because of this, she has been called an impressionist, but it's a label that doesn't quite fit. While she often paints complex patterns of abstract colors, where optical mixing occurs, she still focuses on careful drawing, proportion, and perspective, finding unique angles that few others ever use. According to this blog, Linda has won awards from the Portrait Society of America, the Oil Painters of America, as well as best in show at the 2012 Arts in Harmony exhibit in Minnesota. She was also featured in Art Connoisseur Magazine (2015).

'Daniel & Toby'

According to Principle Gallery, Linda graduated from the Minneapolis College of Art & Design. She first worked in the corporate world, as an art director and account executive. But she switched to painting full-time in 2003.

Linda Nelson has said of her art (tuttart... blog), "My works are meant to be simple eye-candy - no political statement, no soap box. But, I want to project aspects that go beyond simple stereotypes. I hope to not only bring something fresh to the art world, but allow the viewer to apply their own connection and interpretation."

I see her work as an affirmation of the importance of love and family in our lives, and I don't see it simply as eye-candy. It's a common platitude that we should all "stop and smell the roses" on the road of life, but it's true, and Linda shows us how.

While I haven't been able to find an interview with Linda online, she did give some insight into her process and influences in the creation of this fascinating "Periodic Table of Painting" she posted on her Facebook Account.