Larry Nielson was born in Ephraim, Utah, the son of a rancher His extensive career has seen him excel as an art director/consultant, illustrator/graphic designer, photographer, artist and teacher.
Since the 1970's Larry's illustrations have been known world-wide. His series of animal lithographs have been used to benefit animal care shelters throughout the United States. His design work has been seen on the covers of magazines and records; on movie and television screens; as well as on the walls of celebrities such as Robert Redford, Liza Minelli and Johnny Cash. Recently, both The President and The Vice-President of The United States were each presented with one of Larry's distinctive pieces.
These days all of Larry's focus is on what he calls The Spirits of The Wood. Of his artwork on wood, Lloyd Call wrote: "Have you ever looked at nature and felt a spirit touch your own? It usually takes a unique talent to find the voices in nature that speak to our hearts ... a special tool, a special person is needed to make the connection. If you come across an art piece by Larry Nielson, you may first be surprised to discover that the art is part of nature itself. The medium an artist chooses is as important as the vision he adds to it. Most artists choose to paint on canvas because the medium is known, and will react predictably to oil, acrylic, or whatever paint the artist chooses to use. It takes courage to choose a medium of expression that, by itself, may have a message of a kind already imprinted in it. Nielson uses rough, weathered wood as his canvas. The painting itself is not garish or overdone, but the dark colors and natural tones he uses are subtle, and become seemingly part of the wood itself. Wood stains and acrylics transform old wood planks into images that reach deep into the wood for vision, and into ourselves for a response. The faces and images do not appear to have been painted onto the wood, but rather, they grow out of it from some inner realm."
Larry's many projects have taken him around the world, but the man he is remains approachable, humble, and your regular hometown boy.
Since the 1970's Larry's illustrations have been known world-wide. His series of animal lithographs have been used to benefit animal care shelters throughout the United States. His design work has been seen on the covers of magazines and records; on movie and television screens; as well as on the walls of celebrities such as Robert Redford, Liza Minelli and Johnny Cash. Recently, both The President and The Vice-President of The United States were each presented with one of Larry's distinctive pieces.
These days all of Larry's focus is on what he calls The Spirits of The Wood. Of his artwork on wood, Lloyd Call wrote: "Have you ever looked at nature and felt a spirit touch your own? It usually takes a unique talent to find the voices in nature that speak to our hearts ... a special tool, a special person is needed to make the connection. If you come across an art piece by Larry Nielson, you may first be surprised to discover that the art is part of nature itself. The medium an artist chooses is as important as the vision he adds to it. Most artists choose to paint on canvas because the medium is known, and will react predictably to oil, acrylic, or whatever paint the artist chooses to use. It takes courage to choose a medium of expression that, by itself, may have a message of a kind already imprinted in it. Nielson uses rough, weathered wood as his canvas. The painting itself is not garish or overdone, but the dark colors and natural tones he uses are subtle, and become seemingly part of the wood itself. Wood stains and acrylics transform old wood planks into images that reach deep into the wood for vision, and into ourselves for a response. The faces and images do not appear to have been painted onto the wood, but rather, they grow out of it from some inner realm."
Larry's many projects have taken him around the world, but the man he is remains approachable, humble, and your regular hometown boy.
