Don Oelze

Don Oelze, a contemporary American artist, was born in New Zealand to American parents. Raised with a fascination for American cowboy and Native American cultures, sparked by his grandparents’ collection of artifacts, he began drawing and painting at a young age. Oelze pursued his passion through high school and college, studying at Memphis College of Art and Franklin Pierce College.

In 1992, while in Seattle, he connected with a Native American artist, igniting his focus on Native American subjects. Over the past decade, Oelze honed his skills while residing in Japan with his wife, Utako. They have since returned to the U.S., settling in Montana, where Oelze continues to explore and capture the essence of the American West in his artwork.