Born and raised in rural Nebraska, Harold Nelson has since used the natural beauty of his home state as inspiration for his work. Though the love of art and nature continued to drive him, Nelson spent many years in the corporate world. In 1982, Nelson decided to follow his true calling and become a full-time artist. His pieces have won awards at shows in Arizona, California, Colorado, Minnesota, Utah, and Texas and he has accepted commissions for numerous sculptures and murals. Nelson also loves to share his artistic expertise with others, and hopes that doing so with awaken the potential artist in everybody. For this reason, Nelson taught sculpting, drawing, and plein air oil painting at Scottsdale Community College since 1990.

Nelson’s favorite way to paint in plein air, or outdoors. He asserts that, "The quality of an artist's work is at its best when created on-location. Only by involving all of the senses can the artist perceive the true emotional content of the scene.”