Kelli Lien - Paintings, Collage & Book Arts
Biography
Kelli Lien was born in 1958 and raised on her parents' hobby farm in the woodland area of northwestern Minnesota. She developed her love of art, nature, and all animals at an early age. She has painted routinely since the age of ten. She credits her mother for always providing her with paints and supplies and never complaining about making a mess. She began her serious focus on learning watercolor, as an adult in the 90's, while living in the Black Hills of South Dakota and raising her family. During this time period, she became proficient with the medium and was active in artist groups who met to learn, share, and exhibit. She taught watercolor painting to adults, youth, and small children. Although she took a number of classes from well known regional watercolorists, including some who are internationally known, she considers herself primarily self-taught. Kelli has been an award winning watercolorist for over 15 years and is a signature member of the Red River Watercolor Society. Kelli received the Artist Fellowship Award by Region 2 Arts Council in Bemidji for 2017-2018. During the pandemic which followed, she added book arts to her repertoire. After taking a wide variety of classes, including printmaking, bookbinding, and creating one-of-a-kind Artist Books, Kelli received the Core Certificate in Book Arts from Minnesota Center for Book Arts in 2024. She is also a published collagist. She is a wife, mother of two sons and a sweet little girl dog named Stella. She is also an enrolled member of the White Earth Band of Ojibwe. She now lives in the northwoods of Minnesota close to where she grew up.
Artist Statement: I am an artist by nature and possess a daily need to be creative. I happily work among a variety of mediums and genres, in both two and three dimensions, in projects both large and very small.
Publications
2024 Native Arts Resource for Schools, Minnesota Department of Education,
Grades K - 12
2024 Spring Thaw, annual literary and art magazine, published by faculty and students at
Minnesota North College - Itasca, Grand Rapids, MN
2018 National Collage Society
2017 National Collage Society
Signature Membership Achieved
2014 Red River Watercolor Society
Certifications
2024 Core Certificate in Book Arts,
Minnesota Center for Book Arts
Exhibits, Selected Shows & Awards
2024 Bi-Annual Juried Member's Show
Watermark Arts Center, Bemidji
2024 Annual Member Show
Duluth Art Institute
2024 31st Annual Juried Watermedia Exhibition
Red River Watercolor Society
2023 Art at the Atrium, Essentia, Red River Watercolor Annual Members' Exhibit
Fargo, ND
2023 15th Annual Illustrated Accordion Exhibition
Kalamazoo Book Arts Center
2022 San Diego Book Arts
Presented a watercolor & collage demo to a live national audience via Zoom.
2021 Annual Member Show
Duluth Art Institute
2019 First Place, Transparent Watercolor
Artists of Minnesota Spring Show - May 2019, Pier B Resort, Duluth, MN
2019 Fellowship Exhibit - Solo Show
February & March 2019, The Wild Hare, Bemidji, MN
2019 Lake Superior Watercolor Society - Group Show
Duluth Pottery, Duluth, MN
2018 25th Annual Juried Watermedia Exhibition
Red River Watercolor Society
2017 Artist Fellowship Award, 2017-2018
Region 2 Arts Council, Bemidji, MN
2017 25th Annual Juried Art Exhibition
MacRostie Art Center, Grand Rapids, MN
2014 Bronze Medal, Member's 18th Annual Exhibition
Northern Plains Watercolor Society
2014 Golden Award, 21st Annual Juried Watermedia Exhibition
Red River Watercolor Society
2012 Silver Medal, Member's 17th Annual Exhibition
Northern Plains Watercolor Society
2011 18th Annual Juried Watermedia Exhibition
Red River Watercolor Society
2008 Recognition Award, 15th Annual Juried Watermedia Exhibition
Red River Watercolor Society
2008 Merit Award, Member's 13th Annual Exhibition
Northern Plains Watercolor Society
2008 Honorable Mention, Member's 13th Annual Exhibition
Northern Plains Watercolor Society