Kim Nelson facts for kids

Kim Nelson (born 7 March 1958 – died 12 August 2015) was an Australian artist. He lived and worked near Canberra, in the foothills of the Brindabella mountains. Kim Nelson's art often used special symbols, like a 'Red Shawl'. This showed his artwork was part of the Symbolism art movement. His painting style could be classical or abstract.

Early Life and Art Beginnings

Kim Nelson was born in Kiama, a town in New South Wales. He grew up on a farm. From a young age, it was clear he had a talent for both art and music.

In 1976, his uncle, a famous landscape artist named Leonard Long, suggested he study art. Kim Nelson then spent a year at the well-known Julian Ashton Art School in Sydney. There, he learned how to draw people.

After art school, he worked in graphic design and advertising. He was also a singer and songwriter in contemporary music for about ten years.

Later, Kim Nelson spent another ten years managing old house museums. He worked mainly for the National Trust of Australia. In 1995, he was the acting senior curator at Lanyon & Calthorpes' House in Canberra.

Becoming a Full-Time Artist

In 1996, Kim Nelson decided to focus only on fine art. He stopped working at museums to become a full-time artist. He held many solo art shows.

He also created special artworks for different groups and people. These included the National Trust of Australia, Pan MacMillan Publishing, and the ACT Supreme Court. He even created art for international media owner Rupert Murdoch. When his first Sydney art show opened, a famous art investor named Rene Rivkin told people, "I like it, I think you should buy it!"

In 2004, Kim Nelson went on an art trip to Europe. He visited the home of a German Renaissance artist, Albrecht Dürer. He also saw a big art show for the Italian artist Massimo Rao in Germany. This trip gave him many ideas. It inspired three different solo art shows in 2005. These shows were called 'Postcards', 'Icon', and 'Beyond These Shores'. The Lord Mayor of Sydney, Clover Moore, officially opened the 'Beyond These Shores' exhibition.

From 2006, United Galleries in Sydney and Perth showed Kim Nelson's art. In 2008, a book called 'NELSON – The Art of Kim Nelson' was published. It showed his artworks from 1996 to 2008.

Helping Others Through Art

Kim Nelson used his art to help many charities. In 1994, he gave a major artwork called 'Desert Storm' to UNICEF Australia. It was sold to raise money for children. He also made a special print called 'The Gift' to help UNICEF raise more funds.

He donated his art and designs to many other groups too. These included Hope for the Children (part of Rotary International), AMACC (Afghan Mother & Child Care), Koomarri Canberra, The Smith Family, and the NSW Volunteer Bushfire Brigade.

In 2013, Kim Nelson was named 'Citizen of the Year' for the Yass Valley Shire. This was part of the Australia Day awards. He received this honor for his work in the community, especially for starting the YASSarts program.

Personal Life

Kim Nelson passed away on 12 August 2015. He was married to Therese van Leeuwen and had one daughter. They lived near Yass, New South Wales. Kim Nelson was blind in his right eye from birth. This was due to a condition called a congenital cataract.

Art Representation

• Buratti Fine Art, Perth
• Kim Nelson Fine Art, NSW

Media Appearances

Television

• 'Winter' exhibition 1998 WIN 4, Canberra
• 'Winter' exhibition 1998 CAPITAL 7, Canberra
• 'BeyondThese Shores' exhibition 2005 Inner City Community TV, Sydney

Radio Interviews

• 'UNICEF' & 'Irish Orphan Girls' project 1996 YASS FM
• 'UNICEF' & 'Irish Orphan Girls' project 1996 ABC 666 Canberra
• 'The Art of Kim Nelson' exhibition 1996 ABC 666 Canberra
• 'Into The Light' exhibition 1997, 2GB & 2CH Sydney
• 'Winter' exhibition 1998, Artsound FM Canberra (Bill Oakes)
• 'Conversations' 2003, Artsound FM Canberra (Bill Oakes)
• 'Oddfellow' exhibition 2003, YASS FM
• 'Conversations' 2004, Artsound FM Canberra (Bill Oakes)
• 'Back to the Sheep's Back' 2006 YASS FM