St. Olaf College

Charles Nelson Beck

Contemporary painter, woodcarver
United States
b. b. 1923
View objects by this artist.

Charles Nelson Beck was born in Fergus Falls, Minnesota, in 1923. Beck received his BA from Concordia College and then went on to receive his MFA from the University of Iowa on the G.I. Bill. After completing his military service and MFA in 1950, Beck returned to Fergus Falls to establish himself as an artist. He began his career as a sign painter in a harness shop, where he worked with his fine art canvases as well. For some time, he traveled between home and the Twin Cities to pursue postgraduate studies at the University of Minnesota. It was at this time that he was introduced to woodcuts, which became the focus of his work.

During the ‘60s, Beck began teaching at Fergus Falls Community College. He also contributed many dioramas to the historical museum in Fergus Falls, although woodcuts continue to be his main medium. Beck received an honorary doctorate from Concordia College in 1979. He continues to work as an artist, often painting on site, and was profiled for a short film titled “C. Beck” in 2007.

Madison Duran ‘20
May 2019

Sources:
“C. Beck.” Fargo Filmmaking, http://fargofilmmaking.fandom.com/wiki/C._Beck.
“Charles Beck.” The Grand Hand Gallery, http://thegrandhand.com/portfolio-items/charles-beck/.
“Charles Beck.” ULAN Full Record Display (Getty Research), The Getty,
www.getty.edu/vow/ULANFullDisplay?find=Beck,CharlesNelson&role=&nation=&prev_p
age=1&subjectid=500128876.