About the Artist

To view Linda's formal resume, please click here.

Linda Kollacks (nee Carlson) is a portrait artist of various mediums with over 35 years of experience.

Linda began her artistic training in high-school, earning recognition of her talents early in life. In 1959 she was awarded a scholarship to the Art Institute of Chicago based on a city-wide high school competition. In 1961 she married and began a family but continued to paint and develop her style. She spent two years (1971 - 1973) studying art under private tutor Helen Sowa Flynn, a renowned artist of the time. Subsequently she exhibited her work in various art fairs and solo bank shows in the Chicago area between 1972 and 1974.

In 1975 Linda moved with her family to Brussels, Belgium (Europe) due to her husband's job transfer and spent the next 22 years of her life there. She continued to paint, sell and exhibit her work, gaining a reputation and clientele.

She held three solo exhibitions at the American Women's Club of Brussels in 1987, 1991 and 1996 respectively. She pursued her love of the impressionistic style by painting plein-air in Provence in the South of France in 1994 and 1996, following in the footsteps of the impressionistic greats such as Van Gogh and Renoir. She also continued her studies by doing plein-air painting with Andre Turner, Brussels impressionist, in 1995 and studio work with Brussels artist Pierre Heymans in 1996.

Linda returned to the Chicago-land area in the USA in the fall of 1997 and continues to pursue her love of art and portraiture. She is a member of the Oil Painters of America, the Portrait Society of America, the Transparent Watercolor Society of America and the Lake County Art League and sells her work on commission. Her work is also represented in several art galleries, listed on the Permanent Displays page of this website.

Recent awards include the following:

• 2004	Lake County Art League and Annual Members Show: 'Best of Show'
• 2003	Lake County Art League and Annual Members Show: 'First Place'
• 2002	Lake County Art League and Annual Members Show: 'Second Place'
• 2001	Portrait Society of America International Portrait Competition: ‘Certificate of Recognition’
• 2001	Lake County Art League and Annual Members Show: 'First Place'
• 2000	Lake and Kenosha Counties' joint event: 'Best of Show'
• 2000	Winthrop Harbor Fine Arts Festival: 'First Place in Oils'
• 1999	Lake and Kenosha Counties' joint event: 'Best of Show'
• 1999	Winthrop Harbor Fine Arts Festival: 'First Place in Oils' and 'Mayor's Award'
• 1998	Opening event of Lake County Art League: 'Best of Show' awarded by prominent artist Tom Lynch
• 1995	Exhibit of the Waterloo, Belgium Artists Association: 'First Prize - Public Choice' for period piece oil painting of steam tram in front of historic farmhouse