Embodying all levels of what can be labeled artistic, Larry Nielson has been wowing the world with his voluminous resume of work since the 1970’s. This has included not only his most notable career in painting, but also singing and writing. Larry’s career has left an indelible impression upon a multitude of countries and cultures.
Nielson set out on his professional path by attending Brigham Young University in Utah, where he received a Bachelors degree in art. Shortly thereafter, Nielson moved to Hawaii where he continued attending art courses at BYU Hawaii. While there, Larry was a principal member of the visionary group of people who designed and built the world-renowned Polynesian Cultural Center. Larry held a seminal position as the Center’s first Art Director and Production Manager; he was involved full-time with the Grande Finale evening stage production, setting the bar for continued excellence at the educational tourist attraction.
Larry managed to balance a flourishing career not only as a painter, but also in other branches of entertainment. Larry found a niche as a professional studio singer. Larry’s voice accompanied several big-name acts on television variety shows of the period such as “The Carol Burnett Show” and “Sonny and Cher”. The pinnacle of his singing career found Larry spending four years touring live as one of six back-up singers with the late master-comic Danny Kaye.
Nielson could never ignore his first passion of painting. The obsession to paint sustained Larry’s love for the work while also introducing him to the circles of die-hard art collectors and Hollywood celebrities. Today, a string of prominent works litter Nielson’s portfolio, including a Janis Joplin memorial poster, several illustrations used for the promotion of the film including “Frankenstein” and “The Hindenburg” and a graphics piece on The Beatles.
Some of Larry’s original paintings and prints ended up in the homes of such famous personalities as the late Johnny Cash and Danny Kaye, Liza Minelli, James Brolin, Bob Eubanks, Jack Haley Jr., Carol Burnett, Red Norvo, Robert Hagel (former president of Warner Brothers), Andy Williams, Donny Osmond, Loretta Young, Laraine Day, David Cassidy, The Lennon Sisters, Joe Stafford, Paul Weston, Georgia Frontiere and even U.S. President George W. Bush and Vice President Dick Cheney.
Celebrities weren’t the only ones taking note of his work, however. The public at large began, and continues to support the work of Nielson, particularly through one of his more popular lines — a series of whimsical lithographs featuring animals. The most well-known of these projects, named "Fat Cat" rose again to world-wide fame when it was picked up by a London, England publishing firm on to be published on the cover of the book Cat Miscellany, authored by a New Zealand friend of the artist, Max Cryer. The book, published in 2005, is also fully illustrated by Larry and includes more than thirty cat illustrations within its pages.
During the early to mid 1970s, Larry’s famous Animal Illustration Posters were distributed world wide by the Art Brigade, a North Hollywood graphic arts company which had outlets in Africa, France, England, Canada, Mexico and Tahiti as well as throughout the U.S.
While ‘Fat Cat’ is, perhaps, the most famous animal of Larry’s critter brigade, others came into their own notoriety. The Pig poster was a staple in police department headquarters at a time when it was unthinkable to policemen who were trying to destroy the label ‘pig’ that had been pinned on them. In fact, the Los Angeles Police Department contacted Larry in 1972 to obtain ‘The Pig’ for their ‘mascot’. Using reverse psychology, the policemen coined the phrase ‘Protection, Integrity and Guts’ to go with little pig badges they wore. The Pig was on the police station set of the NYPD Blue television series and appears in several episodes of that TV show.
In a time when posters were strictly a Youth market, Larry again raised the bar. The poster business was saturated with a lot of junk; there was a tremendous amount of posters on heroes, message posters, ecology posters – everything. Larry’s poster art was of the highest quality, having a more aesthetic touch. Due to the quality of his posters, Larry received incredible response from every age group. Larry’s Animal posters were sold in baby stores and books stores. The BROADWAY, a high quality national Department Store, sold Larry’s posters in their Lamp and Picture Gallery.
Commemorations to Nielson’s talent still litter the globe, with his work loved in private homes to others having toured prestigious galleries and museums throughout the U.S. Traces of Larry’s work can still be seen in a past full of illustrations done for the likes of the major recording, television and movies industry producers, including MGM Records and Universal Studios, as well as layout designs and logos for prominent magazines and newspapers, including Time Magazine, The Los Angeles Times, The New York Times and the Chicago Tribune.
To this day, Larry Nielson remains just as busy as ever, splitting his time between his home in Ephraim, Utah, and a studio in Studio City, California. Larry continues now to work almost exclusively on his wood paintings but his animal illustrations, ‘Vintage Nielson’, are timeless.
Wind and Wings Woodworks has the special honor of representing Mr. Nielson and his Vintage Animal art, recreated these memorable characters using today’s finest scanning, color and printing technology.
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