Biography

Craig Pursley began his artistic journey early, receiving his first professional commissions at just fourteen years old. By seventeen, he was named Nebraska’s Outstanding Young Artist, and the following year completed a large mural that still hangs in his former high school. While attending college, Craig worked as a composite artist for several law enforcement agencies, including the F.B.I., and continued this work after becoming an art teacher in Colorado. In 1983, he moved to California, where he worked as an illustrator for a major newspaper. During this time, he also gained national recognition as a sports artist, creating work for the California Angels, Topps Baseball Card Company, and Upper Deck Baseball Card Company. In 2002, Craig and his wife Julie relocated to New Hampshire, where he now paints the landscapes and character of New England. He also runs the American Heritage Gallery of Art in Bath, New Hampshire. Craig is an active member of the California Art Club, the Portrait Society of America—which selected his portfolio among the top ten in both 2011 and 2012—and Oil Painters of America, where he recently won second place in a national competition. Craig’s work can be found in numerous prestigious institutions, including the National Baseball Hall of Fame, the Nolan Ryan Museum, the Saint-Gaudens National Historic Site, and the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library and Museum. His paintings are also held in private collections across the United States and in Europe. Over the years, he has earned numerous awards, including two honors selected from nearly 6,000 international entries. Recently, New Hampshire Magazine named him the Best White Mountain Artist, and two of his portraits are on permanent display in the New Hampshire State House in Concord.