Mark Kelso - Artist Bio

Mark Kelso was born in 1967, and raised in Indianapolis, IN.  During his childhood, he spent much of his time immersed in the arts, studying not only the visual arts, but dance, voice, and theater, as well.  Mark chose the visual arts for his career, and he majored in painting at John Herron School of Art, in Indianapolis, IN.  There Mark began incorporating social, philosophical, and environmentally oriented content into installation work.  Following graduation, his interest in the natural world translated to Wildlife Art and Landscape Painting, and has remained his primary focus over the years.

Mark’s art has been exhibited and collected globally. His paintings have sold through Christie’s auction house in London, Sotheby’s in New York, and Bonham’s in Singapore. In the year 2000 he was selected as a featured artist for the international “Beauty of Formosa” exhibition with the National Museum of Natural History in Taipei, Taiwan. In 2002 his art appeared in a special exhibition at the National Geographic Society in Washington, DC. Mark is an inductee of the international Society of Animal Artists and Artists For Conservation organizations, and has been seen in numerous art publications including Art of the West, Southwest Art, Western Art Collector, Fine Art Connoisseur, and Western Art and Architecture.

NOTABLE AWARDS AND ACHIEVEMENTS FOR OIL PAINTING:

2021 Buffalo Bill Art Show and Sale – Spirit Award

2021 Eiteljorg Museum – People’s Choice Award

2021 Eiteljorg Museum – Artist’s Choice Award

2021 Eiteljorg Museum – Herney Farney Painting Award

2020 Buffalo Bill Art Show and Sale – People’s Choice Award

2020 Eiteljorg Museum – Eiteljorg Purchase Award

2019 Buffalo Bill Art Show and Sale - People's Choice Award

2018 Eiteljorg Museum - Quest for the West, Artist's Choice Award

2018 Buffalo Bill Art Show and Sale, Fine Art Connoisseur Magazine Best of Show

2013 Waterfowl Festival, Artist's Choice Award

2012 Susan Kathleen Black Foundation Rose Award

2009 Natureworks, 2-D Best of Show

2006 Carmel International Art Festival, Best of Show

2004 Carmel International Art Festival, Best of Show

2000 Taipei National Museum of Natural History - Beauty of Formosa, Featured Artist

1999 Indianapolis Zoo Arts Festival, Best of Show

1997 Northern Wildlife Art Expo, Judges Award of Excellence

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