Artist: Heather Olsen
Medium: Oil on panel
Titles:
Campfire
Night Sky
Burning Flame
Lightening Storm
The King
The Queen
Beach
Summer Storm
Chess Board
She Came to Mind
About the Artwork:
Campfire: This piece was done from imagination, and with the brush as my guide, I navigate the depths of my mind, resurrecting old memories and discovering new worlds. Whether this campfire was reliving a distant memory, or visiting an emotion of comfort and warmth, I’m not sure. But for whatever reason, it was in my head and needed to get out onto the painting.
Night Sky: This piece was painted from memory alone. With each stroke, I relived the experience of walking home on a clear and peaceful summer night. The sky was black with a beaming spotlight radiating from behind the clouds with an angelic brightness. The small guiding lights of the houses and street lamps pierced through the darkness of night to find my way home.
Burning Flame: Using only my imagination, I painted the burning candle to represent the idea of enjoying the flame while it lasts. Nothing in this world is forever, so enjoy the light and warmth of the fire while it burns.
Lightening Storm:
Painting from imagination, this piece was inspired by the biggest summer storm we have had in years, where the sky burst into explosions of loud, powerful spears of light and the streets were swimming in buckets of rain.
The King: I painted this chess piece from memory and tried to recall all the intricate details of the king. The king is integral to the game of chess, and must be protected by the other pieces at all times. However, in isolation, the king reveals his fragility, vulnerability, and susceptibility to swift defeat.
The Queen: This piece was painted from memory and imagination, as I tried to remember all the curves of the queen. The queen is arguably the most powerful piece in the game of chess. Endowed with unrestricted mobility across the board, she assumes the dual role of guardian and vanquisher. In the event of her defeat, the objective becomes her revival, for her absence could cost you the game.
Beach: Painted from memory, this piece revisited my past experiences of peaceful solitude sitting on a beach and watching the waves roll in and crash on the sand.
Summer Storm: Using my imagination, I let the brush guide the creation of this painting. The storm clouds rolled in on this imaginary landscape and down came the rain. I could almost smell the rain and feel the cold drops on my skin as it explored parts of my mind that were filled with memories of getting caught in a summer storm.
Chess Board: This piece was created purely from imagination and explored my memories of playing the game of chess. Solving the moving puzzle as the pieces charge across the board, and anticipating the moves of your opponent, the game of chess is both mentally exhilarating and exhausting.
She Came to Mind: This painting was created purely from imagination. Starting with just a few hap hazard brush strokes, the brush guided its own fruition. I began to see shapes and continued painting until she came into focus. She was carved out of my mind and now will live on forever in this painting.
About the Artist:
Utah-based artist Heather Olsen honed her skills in classical realism at the Bridge Academy of Art and the Hein Atelier of Art, before earning her Bachelor of Fine Arts degree from the University of Utah. Since then, Heather has gained national recognition as an award-winning exhibiting artist, and has also been sought after for her commissioned paintings.
Although Heather is proficient in portraying a diverse array of subjects, her recent creative journey is delving into the exploration of the human experience through the canvas of imagination. With oil paint as her chosen medium, she embarks on a quest to reveal emotions, distill meaning, and traverse the realm of memory and mystery.
