About Lynn Wilson:
Plein air artist Lynn Wilson is drawn to capturing the moment of repose as nature bathes the vista with light. While being inspired by a wide variety of subjects, she is particularly fascinated with water. The local scenes of this small riverside town of Apalachicola, Florida and its intriguing surroundings affords this artist with endless subject matter that delights the eye. She is dedicated to capturing this moment in time while this delightful area is still pristine and untouched by the sprawling traffic-filled urban landscape of ever-expanding modern living.
Born in New York, raised in Chicago to first generation Russian/Scandinavian parents whose lives were dedicated to the visual and performing arts, Lynn was surrounded in an atmosphere filled with art. Her Father Jack was a composer and orchestral leader and mother Alice Jean a Broadway Rockette, fashion model and artist. As a youngster, Lynn demonstrated artistic abilities and was awarded student scholarships to the Art Institute of Chicago and the Lowe Museum of Fine Arts when the family later moved to Florida. Again receiving a 4 year full tuition scholarship to the University of Miami, she studied Architecture and Design receiving both her BA Degree in Liberal Arts and her Master’s Degree in the International History of Art and Architecture.
At the age of 27, after the birth of her 3 children, in order to help support her family, she opened her own interior and architectural design studio named Lynn Wilson Associates International specializing in hotels. With offices in New York, Los Angeles, Paris and Miami, LWAI completed over 400 hotels throughout the world from China to Argentina with clients spanning the globe to include amongst many: His Royal Highness Sheik Maktoum of United Arab Emerites to even the former residence of Queen Elizabeth, “Windlesham Moor” in Ascot, England. LWAI ranked amongst the Top Ten Design Giants for many years and even ranked #3 in the world.
In addition to her lifelong career as an international Interior Designer and president of Lynn Wilson Associates International, Lynn has dedicated many years to preserving historic landmark buildings in Apalachicola; having restored the 1838 Cotton Warehouse (which now serves as a cultural center for the Arts); the historic Sponge Exchange; rescued the magnificent Coombs Mansion and Heart Pine Cottage (currently known as the Coombs House Inn); and renovated the Victorian landmark Porter House into “Lynn Haven”, the gem of Apalachicola’s Historic District. Lynn is currently responsible for all the interior architecture and design for the largest Mansion in the US the “Versailles” consisting of 90,000 sq. ft. residence with 36 bathrooms, 27 bedrooms and 11 kitchens, bowling alleys, skating rink etc.
Having sold LWAI to Chicago architects VOA and her beloved 23 guest suite boutique historic hotel the Coombs Inn, Lynn has now turned to her long neglected first passion of fine arts and thus has stopped dabbling as a sometime “Sunday Painter” to a more serious dedication to landscape plein air painting. As of Nov. 2013 she has entered her first plein air paint-out and her first juried show winning an Honorable Mention and then proceeding to win Honorable Mention in her next 3 juried shows.
Lynn is the founder of the Pastel Society of Apalachicola (PSA), the Artists of Apalachicola Association (AAA), and a founding member of the Gulf Alliance for Local Arts (GALA). She is a director on the Apalachicola History, Culture, and Arts Board, and is a Board Member of Main Street, a Board Member of Planning and Zoning, the NW Gulf Coast Board Member of the Florida Historic Trust, and Apalachicola Area Historic Society, and a board member of Viscaya Museum and Gardens (Miami, Florida) for 20 years. Lynn is also a member of the following Artists organizations: OPA, ASMA, WPSE, WPA, PSCF, PSNF, CCA/A+, Artists League FSU MoFA, and LightChasers.
Like Lynn on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/lynnwilsonart.
See the Artists of Apalachicola website, about the artists of North Florida’s “Forgotten Coast.”
Awards and Juried Shows:
Museum of Fine Art 2 Man Show 2012.
Mount Dora Paint-out and Show.
Forgotten Coast Great American Paint-out Quick Draw (3 years).
Thomasville “Rose Festival” Paint-out and Show.
Turner Museum of Fine Arts Show Valdosta 2 pieces juried acceptance.
Museum of Fine Arts, Tallahassee Show 2013, 2 pieces / 2014, 2 pieces juried accepted.
Sarasota Museum of Fine Arts Show 2013, 2 pieces/2014, 2 pieces juried accepted.
Pastel Society of N. Florida Annual Members Show 2013 *Honorable Mention.
CAA/Art Plus, Cultural Arts Alliance, Annual Show 2013 *Honorable Mention.
PHILACO Annual Show 2013 *Honorable Mention.
St. George Island Plantation One Man show 2013.
“Summer Seaside Art Show” St. George Island Plantation Four Man Show 2014.
AAA First Annual Members Show 2014.
First Annual Master’s Academy Forgotten Coast Plein-air 2014.
26th Annual Art in Gadsden Exhibition 2014.
SAAG Southern Appalachian Artist Guild Juried Show 2014.
Light Chaser’s 4th Annual Paint-out and Show 2014.
Appalachian Pastel Society National Exhibition 2014.
Degas Pastel Society 15 th Biennial National Juried Show 2014.
PSCF Wings and Wildflower Member Show, Sept/Oct 2014 The Pastel Society of Central Florida in partnership with Leesburg Center for the Arts (LCFA), *Award of Distinction (Second Place): ‘Bridge to Venetian Gardens’ Pastel (SOLD).
21st Annual National Exhibition of CPS Connecticut Pastel Society 2014.
Plein-Air Magazine 4th Annual Plein-air Juried Salon June/July 2014.
*Winner 2nd Place (& Sold), 2014 Thomasville GA Plein-Air Paint-out & Quick Draw.
2015 American Society of Marine Artists, South Juried Exhibition, Gadsden Arts Center, Quincy FL *”Reflections” accepted.
Jan 2015, Lighthouse ArtCenter En Plein Air Juried Exhibition, Tequesta FL, Juried Invitational Artist for “Appalachian Valley”.
Feb 2015, Light Chaser’s 5th Annual Paint-out and Quick Draw, Sarasota FL, Juried Artist.
Mar 2015, 2nd Annual Plein Air Festival, Lighthouse ArtCenter, Tequesta FL, Juried Invitational Artist.