Mitch Nelson was born and raised in rural Wisconsin and began intentionally making art in his early teens, a practice that has remained a constant throughout his life. His early interest in Chinese culture led him to study the language and culture in college. He later spent over 20 years in and out of China, living and working in Shanghai and Beijing, taking on dozens of long term tech projects that brought him to distant cities and locations all across the country.

Often carrying a sketchbook, he used these opportunities to travel to temples and historic sites, where his experiences deeply shaped his artistic perspective. Today, Nelson splits his time between New York City and upstate New York. He works primarily in oils on canvas, while his smaller works are often rendered in watercolor on paper.