Kim Norlien’s award-winning wildlife scenes attract viewers to calmly gaze upon wildlife in their natural state. Also captivating are Norlien’s nostalgic pieces, which capture the simplicity and joy of days gone by. Each of his paintings is meticulously researched to ensure that every detail – whether it be wildlife, landscape, or architecture – is precisely captured as it would be found in the domain of Mother Nature. The artist was raised in Minnesota (Minneapolis), and spent his childhood summers in rural Minnesota with his grandparents and extended family. He paints predominately in acrylics and complements his skillful interplay of shadow and light with technical detail. The result is powerful, yet subtle – lifelike, vibrant and compelling. Following his graduation from Minneapolis Community College in 1977, Norlien spent 8 years working for Honeywell as a commercial artist.
He never got the satisfaction he expected while working for this company. So in 1986 he resigned and became a freelance illustrator this came with a lot of freedom of choice and satisfaction. Being a freelance illustrator also allowed him to begin painting fine art on a part-time basis, with "Winter's Glory", his first print being published in 1991. Norlien is a self-taught painter and he launched his full-time fine art career in 1995 with a publishing contract from Picturesque Wildlife Art. Norlien has gone on to win numerous awards since then - duck stamps - and has self-published more than 60 originals. Today, his art is in numerous galleries, museums, homes and institutions around the world.
