About the Artist

Paul Oman

Paul Oman, a Signature Member of The National Watercolor Society, was born in the United States in the beautiful state of Wisconsin, where he currently resides with his wife and children. He had a strong interest in art early on in his life, inspired by the landscapes and nature surrounding him on the farm where he spent his childhood years.

At age 10, he began receiving personal instruction in acrylic, oil, and watercolor painting. During this same year, Paul was the Wisconsin elementary youth selected to present an original watercolor to the governor at the State Capitol for Youth Art Month, a significant milestone in his life. His passion for painting and drawing continued to grow. He studied drawing in college (along with science education, and later, divinity at seminary).

Receiving national and international recognition for his work in watercolor, painting world-wide as a live-audience mural and performance artist, as well as demonstrating, teaching, speaking, and consulting, Paul shares his joy of painting and its power to communicate with people of all ages.

Paul K. Oman

Artist Vitae

Deer Park, Wisconsin, USA

Selected Exhibitions

2026 Northstar Watermedia Society Spring National Exhibition, "River and Rail" Best of Show
2024 Grand Marais Plein Air Festival, "Grand Marais Harbor" Honorable Mention
2025 Northstar Watermedia Society Members Exhibition, "Evening in May" Honorable Mention
2025 Northstar Watermedia Society, "Rodeo Girl" watercolor, Best of Show
2021 National Watercolor Society’s 101st International Open Exhibition, “Rumblings” 15” x 18”
2021 5th Annual U.S.-China Artists Exhibition, hosted by the America Trade Development Council & Dr. James He Qi, by invitation, watercolors.
2020 35th Annual Bosque Art Classic, watercolor, Clifton, TX
2017 National Watercolor Society’s 97th International Open Exhibition, San Pedro, California.
2017 Red River Valley National Watermedia Society National Exhibition, Moorhead, Minnesota.
2015 Northstar Watermedia Society National Exhibition, Hopkins, Minnesota.
2014 Rocky Mountain National Watermedia Exhibition, Golden, Colorado.
2013 Fine Art Views Bold Brush International Painting Competition, featured finalist.
2011 Minnesota Watercolor Society, Fall Exhibition.
2010 Fine Art Views Bold Brush International Painting Competition, featured finalist.
2008 Minnesota Watercolor Society, Fall Exhibition.
2007 Minnesota Watercolor Society, Spring & Fall Exhibitions.
2004 Tamarack Gallery, Rice Lake, WI, Fall Exhibition, solo.
1997 Nature’s Image Gallery of Fine Art, Forest Lake, MN, three artist invitation and demonstration.
Eyes of the Wild Gallery of Fine Art, Maple Grove, MN, group, watercolor.
1996 First limited edition printing of original watercolor, Whispers of the North, 750 s/n.
Limited edition printing of Hidden Valley, 650 s/n.
1992 Northern Lakes Center for the Arts, Amery, WI, solo.
1979 Wisconsin Youth Art Month Student of the State selected to present original watercolor to Governor Lee Dreyfus at State Capitol, Madison, WI.

Selected Commissions & Collections

2021 Corporate Collection, Health Partners Hospital, New Richmond WI
2018 Nkweshoo Parish, Arusha, Tanzania, mural painted on location.
2017 Fairview Health System-Westfields Hospital, large-scale originals, Emergency Department
2013 Concordia International School, Shanghai, China, mural of mission, painted on location.
2011 Vibrant Faith Ministries Benefit Concert with Musician Ken Medema, Eden Prairie, MN, muralist.
Drawn to the Light, Shepherd of the Valley Lutheran Church, Apple Valley, MN, muralist.
2010 Corporate Collection, Marshfield Hospital, Rice Lake, WI.
Family Camp, mural artist live, Rainbow Trail Bible Camp, Hillside, CO.
Corporate Collection, Luther-Midelfort Clinic, Barron, WI.
Drawn to the Shepherd, Shepherd of the Valley Lutheran Church, Apple Valley, MN, muralist.
2009 Corporate Collection, Fairview Riverside Hospital, Minneapolis, MN.
2008 Mount Carmel Ministries 70th Anniversary Event, Elijah on Mount Carmel, mural artist live.
2007 Light in the Darkness, 75th Anniversary limited edition of 75 giclees’, Luther Park Camp, WI
2006 Walking in the Light, limited edition of 300 giclees’, to fund Malawi National Choir to USA.
1998 Campfire Remembrances, 50th Anniversary limited edition print of 300, Lake Wapo Camp, WI.
1997 Private Collection, Old Shore Beach Bed & Breakfast, Grand Marais, MN

Bibliography

2021 Art Can Build A Bridge, Back Roads Magazine, Winter 2021 issue, p. 13.
2015 Pastor shares the Word in Canvas Crusade, The Lutheran Magazine, February Issue, p. 43.
2013 Murals with a Message, Living and Playing magazine cover & article, Summer 2013.
2008 Painting and the Pulpit, Spooner Advocate, Spooner, WI, January 10.
2007 Painting a Feeling, Washburn County Register, May 30.
2006 Watercolor Wonder, The Chronotype Panorama edition, Rice Lake, WI, July 12.

Featured Artist

2026 Central Minnesota Watercolorists, Demonstration Artist, St. Cloud, MN
2024, 2017, 2015 NorthStar Watermedia Society, Demonstration Artist, St. Paul, MN
2021 Carpenter Nature Center Plein Air Commissioned Demonstration, Hudson, WI
2021 Demonstration Artist & Solo Exhibition, Farm Table Foundation, Amery WI
2020 Central Minnesota Watercolorists, Demonstration Artist
2016 Feed My Starving Children National Gala, muralist, Chicago, IL.
2015, 2014 Feed My Starving Children National Gala, muralist, Minneapolis, MN.
2014 Gustavus Adolphus College Celebration of Philanthropy Event, muralist, St. Peter, MN.
2013 Concordia International School, Shanghai, China, guest instructor & muralist, April 6-13.
2012 Minnesota Watercolor Society, guest demonstration artist, May.
2010 Wartburg College Drawn to the Light Board of Regents Choral/Arts Event, muralist, Waverly, IA.
2010 New Richmond Rotary Club, New Richmond, WI, Student Scholarship Program, group.
1996 North American Hunter magazine, sketch artist, May/June/July issue, p. 69.
1994 Duck’s Unlimited Banquet Artist, Apple River Chapter, Amery, WI.
1993 Minnesota Waterfowl Association’s Annual Banquet, solo invitation, Marine on St. Croix, MN.

Selected Awards, Honors & Memberships

2025 Signature Status, NorthStar Watermedia Society
2021 Signature Status, National Watercolor Society as a Master Artist
2017 Red River Valley Watercolor Society 24th National Exhibition, High Water Medal Award.
2015 Northstar Watermedia Society 1st Nat’l Exhibition – Honorable Mention, Watercolor, Romantic Snowfall. Juror Jack Richeson.
2013 Fine Art Views Int’l Painting Competition – Finalist, Watercolor, Harbor Town Mist.
2010 Fine Art Views Int’l Painting Competition – Finalist, Watercolor, Mexico City Morning.
2008 Minnesota Watercolor Society, Award of Merit, Fall Exhibition.
2007 Minnesota Watercolor Society, Award of Merit & Honorable Mention, Spring & Fall Exhibitions.
2006 Minnesota Watercolor Society Member.
2002 Iowa Artist State Show, 1st Place, Voices of Loon Lake.
2000 Wisconsin Watercolor Society, Signature Member.
1997 Minnesota Loon Art Competition, 3rd Place, Peoples’ Choice, Brainerd, MN, acrylic

Education & Experience

2026 Demonstration Artist, Central Minnesota Watercolorists, 2020, 2026
2024-25 President, NorthStar Watermedia Society, Twin Cities, MN, Board Member 2023-26
2015, 2017, 2024 Demonstration Artist, Northstar Watermedia Society, Minneapolis, MN.
2013 Guest painting instructor & muralist, Concordia Int’l School of Fine Arts, Shanghai, China.
2012 Demonstration Artist, Minnesota Watercolor Society, Minneapolis, MN.
2011 Instruction with watercolorist Alvaro Castagnet, AWS, from Uruguay, South America.
2008 Instruction with watercolorist John Salminen, AWS, Duluth, MN.
2003 Luther Seminary, St. Paul, MN, Master of Divinity
1999 Instruction with watercolorist Cheng Khee-Chee, AWS, Duluth, MN.
1998 University of Minnesota, Master of Education.
1993 University of Wisconsin-River Falls, Bachelor of Science & Education; Drawing
1993-present Paul Oman Fine Art, LLC
2011-present Drawn to the Word, LLC, Founder, Owner, Chief Creative Officer

Have a Question?

Don’t hesitate to ask.

Contact Paul