Ken Carlson

born Morton, Minnesota, 1937

BiographyBorn and raised in rural Morton, Minnesota, Ken Carlson taught himself to draw as a child and won a scholarship to the Art Instruction Schools in Minneapolis where he studied with wildlife illustrator Walter Wilwerding. He went on to study at the Minneapolis School of Art before becoming a commercial illustrator. Wildlife artists Carl Rungius and Bob Kuhn have been major influences on Carlson’s work and he shares their belief that observation from life is the best way to create a successful likeness of an animal. The artist currently lives and works in the hill country of central Texas and travels widely in order to sketch his animal subjects. Once back in his studio, he turns his sketches and photos into large-scale, highly detailed, and individual portraits. Carlson has received numerous awards throughout his career, including the first Bob Kuhn Wildlife Award at the Autry National Center’s annual exhibition and sale in 2008.

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