Breathtaking Realism, Uncompromising Authenticity, Attention to Minute Detail… these are the qualities that set Kim Norlien’s paintings apart from the field. His award-winning wildlife scenes invite viewers to peacefully gaze upon wildlife in their natural state. Equally captivating are his nostalgic pieces, which capture the joy and simplicity of days gone by.

  Painting predominately in acrylics, Kim Norlien complements his technical detail with a skillful interplay of light and shadow.  The result is subtle, yet powerful – vibrant, lifelike, compelling.

  Kim Norlien was raised in Minneapolis, Minnesota and spent his childhood summers up at the lake with his grandparents and extended family in rural Minnesota.

  Following his 1977 graduation from Minneapolis Community College, Kim spent eight years working as a commercial artist for Honeywell. Keylining technical manuals, cartooning, and hand drawing military scenes did not offer much of a creative outlet for a young artist.

  With a growing family started, Kim resigned his position at Honeywell in 1986 to become a freelance illustrator. His creativity and high-quality work caught the attention of national companies, leading to a variety of commissions that helped hone his artistic skills. It also allowed him to begin painting fine art part-time, with Kim’s first print “Winter’s Glory” being published in 1991.

  Kim Norlien is an entirely self-taught painter and his full-time fine art career was launched in 1995 with a publishing contract from Picturesque Wildlife Art. Since then, Kim has gone onto win numerous awards, duck stamps, and has published over 70 originals.

Kim Norlien’s passion for his art is only exceeded by his faith in God and his love for his family and friends.  He has been married for thirty-nine years to his high school sweetheart, Lori.  They have four adult children; Bryan (Christina) Norlien, Andy (Jacalyn) Norlien, Rachel (Caleb) Anderson, Katie (Alex) Bolt and have been blessed with eight grandchildren; Harmony, Graham, Marshall, Grace, Diana, Harrison, Ole and Ruby.