Craig Nelson

Craig Nelson

Award winning artist Craig Nelson has been creating inviting paintings for over forty years. Whether he is out discovering a quaint European town, enjoying a quiet park, or admiring the light on an ancient building, Nelson creates luminous works in oil that delight viewers worldwide. His precise brushwork and attention to the contrast between light and color create sensitivity in each painting, capturing the simplistic beauty of everyday life.

Craig received a BFA with distinction from the Art Center College in California and is currently the Department Chairman of Fine Arts, Drawing, and Painting at the Academy of Art University  in San Francisco, California. 

Selected commissions include: Count Basie, MGM Record Corp, Sammy Davis, Jr., MGM Record Corp., Neil Simon, MCA Inc., Natalie Cole, Capitol Records, Inc., Loretta Lynn, MCA, Inc., A.C. Eichenger, Private, James Garner, Private, Frank Sinatra, Capitol Records, Inc., Richard Petty, Franklin Mint, Inc., Mr. And Mrs. Joris Brinkerhoff, Private, and Mr. and Mrs. R. Kiperman, Private. Permanent collections include: Toyota Corp., JVC, Denny’s Inc., U.S. Air Force, George C. Scott, Academy of Art College, San Francisco, UCLA Dental School, and Initiative Media. 

Craig’s numerous awards and achievements include five gold medals, two silver medals, Best in Show and over 200 awards of excellence from the Society of Illustrators in Los Angeles, California and a silver medal from the Society of Illustrators in New York. Craig has been published in Communication Arts Annual and JCA (Japan).