Kelli Lien - Paintings, Collage & Book Arts

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.
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.
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.
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
2022 Duluth Art Institute
2021 San Diego Center for the Book
2022 The Moveable Book Society
Publications
2018 National Collage Society