Lenin Delsol
Artist Bio
Lenin Delsol creates realistic figurative and portrait paintings in oils, watercolors, and pastels. He paints from life with an emphasis on drawing, color, and composition. Praised for his draughtsmanship and color sense, he strives to capture the features of his subjects and convey their personality and mood. As a devoted storyteller, the artist uses his imagination and ability to draw from memory to transform the scene before him.
Delsol resides in Oak Park and paints at his fine art studio located in Chicago’s Bucktown neighborhood. The artist was born and raised in England. In 1978, he and his family moved to Chicago, Illinois. Delsol’s enthusiasm and innate talent for drawing led him to enroll at the American Academy of Art in Chicago. After graduation, he worked as a comic book artist and illustrator. Soon after, he founded a commercial art studio.
Committed to continuing his art education, Delsol has studied with Steven Assael, David Leffel, Sherrie McGraw, Burton Silverman, Mary Whyte, and Bo Zhang. He is a longtime member, art instructor, and Vice President of the Palette & Chisel Academy of Fine Arts. There he teaches classes and monitors various open studios. Eager to help other artists grow, upon request, the artist gives critiques and advice.
Many private art collectors admire Delsol’s artwork. He has shown artwork in international, national, and regional juried art exhibitions as well as in local group shows. His paintings have received honors and awards from the Portrait Society of America, National Oil & Acrylic Painters Society, and the Black Creativity Show at MSI Chicago.
Teaching
Palette & Chisel Academy of Fine Art, 2015 – present
Juried Exhibitions
Museum of Science & Industry Black Creativity Show, 2024
Museum of Science & Industry Black Creativity Show, 2022
Museum of Science & Industry Black Creativity Show, 2021
National Oil & Acrylic Painters Society (NOAPS), Online International, Fall 2020
Museum of Science & Industry Black Creativity Show, 2020
Richeson75 International Figure / Portrait, 2019
Museum of Science & Industry Black Creativity Show, 2019
Portrait Society of America Members Only Competition, 2018
Oil Painters of America National Juried Exhibition of Traditional Oils, 2017
Oil Painters of America Eastern Regional Exhibition, 2015
National Oil & Acrylic Painters Society Online International, Fall 2015
Black Heritage Through Visual Rhythms, National Afro-American Museum and Culture Center, Wilberforce, Ohio, 2014
Awards & Honors
Portrait Society of America, Illinois Member Show & Competition, 2024, Third Place
Illinois Watercolor Society 40th National Show 2024, Juror of Selection and Awards
Portrait Society of America, Illinois Member Show & Competition, 2023, Best in Show
Palette & Chisel Gold Medal Show, 2019, Gold Medal
Museum of Science & Industry Black Creativity Show, 2019, Second Place
Portrait Society of America Members Only Competition, 2018, Outside the Box Finalist
Palette & Chisel Gold Medal Show, 2018, Bronze Medal
National Oil & Acrylic Painters Society Online International, Fall 2015, Award of Excellence
Group Exhibitions
Portrait Society of America, Illinois Member Show & Competition, Palette & Chisel Academy of Art, Chicago, Illinois, 2024
Perspective: An Exhibition of Fine Artworks Presented By Diasporal Rhythms, Navy Pier, Chicago, Illinois, 2023 – 2024
Not Just Another Pretty Face, Hyde Park Art Center, Chicago, Illinois, 2023
Portrait Society of America, Illinois Member Show & Competition, Palette & Chisel Academy of Art, Chicago, Illinois, 2023
Gold Medal Show, Palette & Chisel Academy of Art, Chicago, Illinois, 2019
Summer Suite, Palette & Chisel Academy of Art, Chicago, Illinois, 2019
Gold Medal Show, Palette & Chisel Academy of Art, Chicago, Illinois, 2018
Intersection, Kimberly Beck and Lenin Delsol, Palette & Chisel Academy of Art, Chicago, Illinois, 2018
Summer Suite, Palette & Chisel Academy of Art, Chicago, Illinois, 2018
Chicago Artists Interpret American Literature Show, Mary-Frances and Bill Veeck Gallery, Catholic Theological Union Academic and Conference Center, Chicago, Illinois, 2017
Summer Suite, Palette & Chisel Academy of Art, Chicago, Illinois, 2016
Professional Memberships
Illinois Watercolor Society
National Oil & Acrylic Painters Society
Palette & Chisel Academy of Fine Art
Portrait Society of America
Oil Painters of America, 2014-2020
Publications
Realism Today, “Step-by-Step Demo: Painting Deandrea’s Portrait”, 2022
