The Hawk Exhibit - Norm Nelson

Norm began painting birds of prey in 1980, using oil and following the traditional wildlife technique. He grew up surrounded by raptors, literally and figuratively, as the son of famed conservationist, Morley Nelson.

John Collias mentored Norm in traditional oil approaches. He works with oil on canvas, watercolor ink, salt, pastel and pen and ink drawing. COVID kept him in the studio, and he completed five new pieces using an “action approach” with the birds. He incorporated softer brush strokes and painted layers of wet on dry. The Harpy eagle was included in the collection since it is now the focus of conservation in South American rainforests.

The Hawk Show is now complete and totals 16 pieces. Norm continues to work with abstract designs he finds in nature. He finishes these in either oil or watercolor with ink and salt.