Vivian Olsen’s interest in portraying animals developed when she was very young her constant playmates were her animal friends. Although she has come a long way from drawing piglets chicks, her love of animals remains strong is expressed in her art.
While growing up in the countryside near Montery Bay in California, she always knew she would be an artist. In her early college years Olsen majored in art but it wasn’t until years later that she returned to college to finish two degrees. In these intervening years she raised three daughters while painting producing illustrations professionally.
She then became the art teacher at Socorro High School in New Mexico where she lived for 26 years. While teaching for 18 years she continued to display her painting in galleries in state national exhibits. When she her husb retired they relocated to Central Oregon this area that they love has been their home now for over a decade.
As an artist she has evolved from being a watercolorist to primarily being an oil painter, although she sometimes paints with acrylics pastels. Olsen’s preferences changed from portraying large wildlife to birds.
She says, “In my early years of study I was taught to meticulously render every detail of the animals, but now I concentrate on painting my subjects realistically with luminous colors loose abstract backgrounds.”
Olsen finds the simplicity of Georgia O’Keeffee’s Gerard Curtis Delano’s l scape paintings of the Southwest exciting – the simplicity of the strong shapes vivid colors in their oils have influenced her artwork.
Olsen participates in numerous shows locally statewide. Her artwork is represented by two area galleries, the Ambiance Co-op Gallery in Redmond the new Art Works Gallery in Tumalo, may be viewed on her website: www.vivianolsen.com. She is vice president of the High Desert Art League, a member of Oil Painters of America Studio Six.
“To view my paintings is to know that I love animals,” concludes Olsen.
Info: Ambiance Co-op Gallery 435 S.W. Evergreen Redmond 541-548-8115.