Len Chmiel

Chmiel was born in Chicago and moved to California at age 8. He became a full-time fine artist after working as a mechanical draftsman for Aerospace Corporation in Los Angeles. He took night courses at the Art Center College of Design and after graduation, painted and freelanced as an illustrator for several years before moving to Colorado and setting up a studio.

Chmiel continues to take an occasional illustration assignment in addition to painting full-time. He has led painting workshops and taught drawing at Disney Feature Animation Studios He cites California painter Richard Diebenkorn as a major influence on his work to allow the intuitive side of his personality to increasingly affect his painting.