Kelli Lien is a watercolorist, collagist, and currently an enthusiastic student of the Book Arts genre. She has been an artist ever since she could hold a crayon.  Her love of painting began when she was a pre-adolescent; she has painted ever since.   She always excelled at art and knew she had a natural talent.  She took art classes while in high school and when she attended college.  While in her early 20's and working,  she found time to focus on batik and also on calligraphy.  Later, as a mother of two young sons, and living in Rapid City, SD, she aspired to learn to paint in watercolor.  She spent years learning, from local and regional watercolorists, and also from books.  She considers herself primarily self-taught.  Kelli has been an award winning watercolorist for over 20 years, earning top awards.  She is a signature member of the Red River Watercolor Society.  Kelli eventually became enamored with collage and incorporated that along with watercolor.  She is a published collagist.  

Her years in Rapid City found her taking part in local artist groups and exhibitions, and taking the occasional big painters' workshop.  She taught watercolor to adults and children in a variety of venues, including the fine arts center, senior centers, elementary schools, and private lessons in her home studio.

Kelli and her family relocated to northwestern Minnesota in 2015, after having spent 25 years in the Black Hills of SD.   In 2017, she received the Artist Fellowship Award, presented by the Region 2 Arts Council, in Bemidji.

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Kelli had a long term interest in the book arts genre which originated from her love of lettering and painting.  When the Pandemic began, several book art centers in the U.S. went online with their workshops, live via Zoom.  This unforeseen opportunity allowed her to finally immerse herself into the genre and it also enabled her to find a new purpose for her love of art.  It was an added bonus to find herself to finally, once again belong to an inclusive, welcoming, and strong  artist community; the book artists.   She continues to take classes from Jaffe Center for the Book, Minnesota Center for the Book Arts, San Diego Book Arts,  and San Francisco Center for the Book.  Many of the instructors are internationally or nationally known.  

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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. 

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Selected Shows & Awards


2021    Duluth Art Institute Annual Members Show, Group Exhibition
            The Depot, Duluth, MN

2019    First Place, Transparent Watercolor - Intermediate 
            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    Group Show - Lake Superior Watercolor Society
             Duluth Pottery, Duluth, MN

2018    25th Annual Juried Watermedia Exhibition
            Red River Watercolor Society, Moorhead, MN

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, Rapid City, SD
 
2014    Golden Award, 21st Annual Juried Watermedia Exhibition
            Red River Watercolor Society, Moorhead, MN

2012    Silver Medal, Member's 17th Annual Exhibition
            Northern Plains Watercolor Society, Rapid City, SD

2011    18th Annual Juried Watermedia Exhibition
            Red River Watercolor Society, Moorhead, MN

2008    Recognition Award, 15th Annual Juried Watermedia Exhibition
             Red River Watercolor Society, Moorhead, MN

2008    Merit Award, Member's 13th Annual Exhibition
             Northern Plains Watercolor Society, Rapid City, SD

2008    Honorable Mention, Member's 13th Annual Exhibition
             Northern Plains Watercolor Society, Rapid City, SD
 

Recent Certification

2021   Certified Zentangle® Teacher (CZT)

Signature Membership
2014     Red River Watercolor Society

 Other Memberships Include
2021   San Diego Center for the Book
2021   Society of Children's Book Writers & Illustrators
2022  The Moveable Book Society

 

Publications

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2018  National Collage Society

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