Michael Nelson, a gentleman and a police officer for twenty-six years, is now Chief Deputy Marshall for Northern California and resides in Elk Grove. Born in Sacramento, he has been married to Valerie for twenty-six years and they have raised two children. During his distinguished career in law enforcement, Nelson has received several "hero" citations. Nelson is a natural artist. For years he studied with some top level instructors, but it wasn't until he met renowned art teacher, Robert Taylor, in 1990, that he blossomed into one of the best marine painters in the world. His artwork currently hangs in Washington D.C., San Fransisco, Sacramento, and Hawaii.