Kristin Nelson (born Sharon Kristin Harmon; June 25, 1945 – April 27, 2018) was an American actress, self-taught painter and memoirist. She came from a prominent entertainment family and pursued a career that moved between acting in film and television, then to a second life as a maker of brightly colored primitive paintings and a writer of a coffee-table autobiography.
Early life and family
Nelson was a member of a well-known Hollywood family. She was the daughter of Tom Harmon and Elyse Knox; her siblings include model-actress Kelly Harmon and actor Mark Harmon. Her upbringing in a media-savvy household and early exposure to film and television helped shape her later pursuits in acting and creative work.
Acting career
Kristin Nelson appeared on television and in films beginning in the 1960s. She had roles on popular TV programs of the era, including appearances on shows such as The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet and on police drama Adam-12. In film, she appeared in projects including the short The Resurrection of Broncho Billy, a project that won an Academy Award for best live-action short. She also appeared in feature films such as Liar's Moon. Her screen work was often connected to the entertainment circles she was part of through family and marriage.
Painting, writing, and style
Later in life Nelson reinvented herself as a painter. Encouraged by her second husband, television producer Mark Tinker, she developed a naive or "primitive" painting style characterized by flattened perspective, simplified forms and exuberant color. Her work often depicted domestic scenes, animals and whimsical tableaux. The paintings attracted attention from collectors and some celebrity admirers, reportedly including Jacqueline Kennedy and Mia Farrow.
Nelson compiled images of her paintings and personal recollections in a book-format memoir, Out of My Mind, which presented both her artwork and anecdotes from a life spent in and around Hollywood and music circles.
Personal life and legacy
Kristin Nelson was married to musician Ricky Nelson, with whom she had children who also worked in entertainment; her daughter Tracy Nelson is an actress. In 1988 she married producer Mark Tinker, who played a role in encouraging her painting. Kristin Nelson died suddenly on April 27, 2018; her family reported the cause as a heart attack.
Notable facts
- Transitioned from acting to a recognizable career as a self-taught painter late in life.
- Her painting style is often described as primitive or naive—terms used to denote directness and simplicity rather than formal academic training.
- Her life intersected with multiple areas of 20th-century American entertainment: television, popular music, and visual art.