Myron Sahlberg

Biography

Honorary Artist Member since 2021

Myron Sahlberg’s second grade teacher, Miss Nelson, in Stephen, Minnesota, was the first to tell him he’d be an accomplished artist one day. His mother was the second. With that encouragement and the deep longings of his heart, Sahlberg pursued art as a continuous path from which he would never step off. After four years in the U.S. Navy during the Vietnam era, Sahlberg’s career in art took off: first as a sought-after illustrator who did work for major magazines and college sports teams; then as an instructor in the Communication Art and Design program at a two-year college in Alexandria, Minnesota; and finally as a portrait artist – all overlapping careers of the past 45 years. He has a BFA in illustration from Kansas University, an MA from the University of Saint Thomas, and further training with Pat Jerde at the Minnesota River School of Fine Art and with other individual artists – John Howard Sanden, Bonita Roberts, Richard Whitney, and Carolyn Anderson.

Along the way, Sahlberg’s work in the art field received national and local recognition and awards – such as the Silver Medal from the American Advertising Federation of Central Minnesota. In November 2021 he was awarded the honorary artist of the year membership in the Mountain Oyster Club in Tucson, AZ. His start in western art came with an invite from Stuart Johnson, the owner of Settler’s West Gallery in Tucson, to exhibit at the American Miniature Show in 2016 and at every subsequent annual show. Sahlberg exhibits at the Mountain Oyster Club Contemporary Western Art Show in Tucson, the Small Works, Great Wonders Show at the National Cowboy Museum in Oklahoma City, the Miniature Masterpiece Show at the Phippen Museum in Prescott, Arizona and the Booth Western Art Museum in Cartersville, Georgia. His western art, commissioned portraits, and other paintings are in the permanent collection of many private collectors, the Mountain Oyster Club, the Legacy of the Lakes Museum and the Runestone Museum in Alexandria, Minnesota and the Alexandria Community and Technical College.
When asked once about his devotion to creative and inspirational painting, Sahlberg answered with, “Painting is one of my joys in life. I am motivated to keep painting because I have the impression that I am making progress. I am very thankful God made me an artist.” His spiritual moorings are never far from his work; he relishes the beauty of God’s creation in each subject he paints and is always focused on creating a masterful painting with an encouraging message.

EXHIBITS AND SHOWS – PAST
2021 Settlers West Gallery, AMERICAN MINIATURE SHOW, Tucson, AZ
2021 Phippen Museum, MINIATURE MASTERPIECE SHOW AND SALE, Prescott, AZ
2020 National Cowboy Museum, SMALL WORKS, GREAT WONDERS SHOW, Oklahoma City, OK
2020 Mountain Oyster Club CONTEMPORARY WESTERN ART SHOW AND SALE, Tucson, AZ
2020 Settlers West Gallery, AMERICAN MINIATURE SHOW, Tucson, AZ
2020 Phippen Museum, MINIATURE MASTERPIECE SHOW AND SALE, Prescott, AZ
2019 National Cowboy Museum, SMALL WORKS, GREAT WONDERS SHOW, Oklahoma City, OK
2019 Mountain Oyster Club CONTEMPORARY WESTERN ART SHOW AND SALE, Tucson, AZ
2019 Settlers West Gallery, AMERICAN MINIATURE SHOW, Tucson, AZ
2018 Mountain Oyster Club CONTEMPORARY WESTERN ART SHOW AND SALE, Tucson, AZ
2018 Lake Region Arts Council – GUEST JUROR, MINNEAPOLIS INSTITUTE OF ART, Fergus Falls, MN
2018 Kaddatz Gallery, MYRON SAHLBERG/BONITA ROBERTS PAINTINGS, Fergus Falls, MN
2018 Settlers West Gallery, AMERICAN MINIATURE SHOW, Tucson, AZ
2017 Mountain Oyster Club CONTEMPORARY WESTERN ART SHOW AND SALE, Tucson, AZ
2017 Settlers West Gallery, AMERICAN MINIATURE SHOW, Tucson, AZ
2016 Settlers West Gallery, AMERICAN MINIATURE SHOW, Tucson, AZ