Don Oelze
Born 1965 in Invercargill, New Zeland; lives in Clancy, Montana
Don Oelze’s parents were from the United States but their Interests took them to different parts of the world. Don was born in New Zealand and at an early age he had a fascination with America and especially with the lifestyle of cowboys and Indians. He started drawing Indians at a very early age, and by the time he was in school at age six or seven, he remembers getting in trouble for drawing Indians in class instead of paying attention to his New Zealand history teacher. When he was eight years old, his parents moved back to the United States where he continued to draw and paint throughout high school and university. Don completed his education at Franklin Pierce University in New Hampshire.
In 1992 while living in Seattle, he met a Native American named Everett who produced native art and Totems. While working with Everett, he did his first big native painting. After trying many different subjects, he knew that painting Native Americans was what he loved to do most. In 2004 he and his wife, Utako, moved from Japan, where he had been working, back to the U.S. and are presently living in Montana studying the country and people that he loves to paint.
Notable Awards and Achievements
2022 Briscoe Wester Art Museum, Night of Artists, Patron’s Choice Award and Sam Houston Award for Painting
2021 The Museum of Western Art, Roundup Exhibition and Sale, Artists’ Choice Award
2016 Phippen Museum, 42nd Annual Wester Art Show & Sale, Art of the West Choice Award
2016 Mountain Oyster Club, Contemporary Western Art Show and Sale, Member’s Choice Award
2015 Southwest Gallery, Traveling the West Art Show and Sale, Gallery Choice Award
2015 Bosque Art Center, 30th Bosque Art Classic, First Time Entrant Award
2014 Red Bluff Wester Art Show, Third Place in Painting category
2013 Calgary Stampede, Creative Arts and Crafts Competition, Best Flat Artist and Jurors Choice Award
Memberships
Oil Painters of America
Gallery Representation
Legacy Gallery
Settlers West Gallery
Illume Gallery
Coeur d’Alene Gallery