Meet Andie Olson

Today we’d like to introduce you to Andie Olson.

So, before we jump into specific questions, why don’t you give us some details about you and your story.
Art has always been a major part of my life. I come from a long line of visual artists. I was lucky to be encouraged to make a life as an artist from a young age. I received my BFA in Painting from Moore College of Art in Philadelphia, PA. Once I graduated, I made a vow to myself that I would never again take employment unless it was a position related to the visual arts.

Fate has granted me that vow, and I now work as an artist who exhibits her work regularly and is the Program Coordinator at the Shemer Art Center.

Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
The life of an artist is at the very least a circuitous path. There is no roadmap and there are obstacles that include those within yourself and the outside world. Of course, there are other parts of my life besides being an artist that have served both to enrich and impede my path. I found myself a divorced, single mother of two toddler aged children before I was 30 years old- who decided to pack up my belongings and leave everything I knew to start a new life in Phoenix, Az. I spent a short time letting myself grieve, but my main takeaway from this struggle has been empowerment. Never before have I produced such pure and powerful artwork. I have become a stronger woman than I could have ever imagined. The best is yet to come!

We’d love to hear more about your work and what you are currently focused on. What else should we know?
I am primarily a painter but also work in various printmaking processes. My artwork is about nostalgia, obsessive detail, and the voyeur. All of my pieces include at least one or all of the above. My artwork often includes the ocean, structures – like buildings or homes, and grids. I like to blend abstract areas with realistic or graphic elements. I like people to interpret my work in their own way, however, an emotion I often try to elicit in others could be described as the feeling you get from being on the outside looking in. As humans, we are social and programmed to want to be a part of the group, so there is a slight sense of rejection in this feeling. However, there is also something calming about playing the role of the voyeur – looking at someone else’s life from an outsiders perspective.

What’s your outlook for the industry over the next 5-10 years?
I think being a part of the art world in Phoenix and in Arizona as whole is so exciting! We are seeing an explosion of public art, more grants are becoming available, and the gallery scene is blossoming beautifully. Artists are also very friendly here and work together to help each other out. I think we will be seeing more thought-provoking, boundary pushing art, and more artists in Arizona that will start to become recognized on an international scale.

Contact Info:

• Phone: 215-359-5043
• Email: andie.olson@yahoo.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/andieolsonart/
• Facebook: AndieOlsonFineArtist

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