Published November 1, 2013 by Sonoran Arts Network Magazine.
Interviewer & article written by Diane C. Taylor.
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The Drive Behind “Soft, Soothing & Serene Fine Art.
Retrieved from Sonoran Arts Network Magazine on December 1, 2013.
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Transcript
Bright, energetic, upbeat – Christy Olsen is a contrast to her art (oils and pastels), which is calming, quiet, even peaceful. Born in 1970 and raised in Memphis, Tennessee, Christy arrived in Tucson in 2000 from San Diego, relocating here because of her job.
Diane C. Taylor (DCT): How did you come to art?
Christy Olsen (COlsen): My mother was a portrait painter, my aunt painted huge landscapes, and my grandmother painted porcelain in the 1940s, back when china patterns were designed and painted by hand when dishes were ordered. I painted with them when I was young and loved to draw. When I went to college, most of the fine art curriculum was all about conceptual art, and I wanted to do representational so I majored in art history instead.
For a while I worked in museums and then ended up working in San Diego as a drafter. The company offered me a job in Tucson, so I moved and went back to school. I took classes in chemistry and physics to improve my knowledge and eventually got a second degree in engineering. At the same time, I started taking drawing classes at The Drawing Studio. They brought back the excitement of drawing that I had as a child.
DCT: I see on your website, christyolsen.com, that your site is entitled “Soft, Soothing & Serene Fine Art.”
COlsen: I think our society, in general, is plugged into technology from morning till night. We are constantly bombarded with images from the media through cell phones, computers, televisions and social media, etc. My art offers a peaceful moment, a place to meditate or even daydream, where people can slow down and unwind. Technology is great and all, but I don’t think we should be plugged in all of the time. I think it’s healthy to daydream every once in a while.
DCT: Exactly what mediums do you work in?
COlsen: Pastels and oils, and I draw. Art history gave me a great background in composition and design since we analyzed so many pieces of art. I carry a sketchbook with me at all times. When I’m waiting somewhere, I pull it out and sketch. I use the drawings and designs for larger paintings later on. I like to have most of the problems worked out before I begin to paint, then the piece can take off in a direction of its own if it needs to.
DCT: What do you do to improve your skills?
COlsen: I always want to keep learning and growing. Engineering has given me an entire career of getting used to working outside of my comfort zone and learning “how to fail” in order to build something solid. Now I’m constantly trying to work outside of my comfort zone with my artwork, too, so I can take it to the next level. I take workshops at the Scottsdale Artists’ School a couple of times a year, and I still take classes at The Drawing Studio, even though I’m a teacher there. I enjoy teaching because I learn from the students.
I started teaching at The Drawing Studio through the OATS (Outreach Art Tutoring for Seniors) program. I am currently teaching a drawing class at an assisted living facility, and I really enjoy it. One student, a former artist now in his nineties, had a stroke prior to the class and was working through the after-effects. He didn’t talk very much, but then other students told me that he didn’t talk at all before my class. Wow, now he talks, and he gets really excited about the class? That is totally gratifying to make a difference in people’s lives like that!
DCT: Where are you showing your work?
COlsen: I was thrilled to have a piece juried into a recent show in the Porter Hall Gallery at the Tucson Botanical Gardens. I’ve also been showing work through The Drawing Studio and other local galleries, including the Tucson Jewish Community Center for the Open Studio Tour preview show. I was also a finalist in the International Richeson 75 Small Works 2013 show in Kimberly, Wisconsin, and was just recently asked to enter a piece into the Gala Master’s Circle at The Drawing Studio, a huge fundraising event that will be held in January 2014.
DCT: And where are you teaching now? I see you have a workshop on October 19 on Composition Secrets from the Masters at The Drawing Studio.
COlsen: Yes, and I’m going to give a half-day workshop on marketing for artists in January 2014 at The Drawing Studio. I recently taught a similar class at the Tucson Pastel Society since I have been working on the board and serving as the Vice President. The reason they asked me is because I’ve only been selling art for about four years, but I have more sales than some other artists. The art market is changing. The internet is changing how art is bought and sold. It’s all about using social media to be more interactive with collectors. For example, I have a Facebook page that drives traffic back to my website and increases the chance of a sale.
DCT: I see on your website that you write two blogs (TheArtAppreciationBlog.com and TheArtVerve.com). So, you work in engineering, you paint, you teach, you blog. When do you sleep?
COlsen (laughing): Well, I don’t have children or a TV, and sometimes I do have insomnia. Also, my father was an attorney and he always worked very hard to get things done, so I probably got that from him.
DCT: You seem to be quite busy. What’s in your future? Anything else you plan for your art?
COlsen: I will be doing more pieces that are a lot larger in scale. I recently had a commission piece for an oil painting on a 24x36 panel of an urban landscape of Rome, and it got me really excited and back into the swing of doing landscapes, plus working on a larger canvas. I think larger paintings really make a statement, and it’s just plain fun to use bigger brushes. I will continue to teach at The Drawing Studio, serve as the Vice President of the Tucson Pastel Society, and throw in a blog or two.
Reference
Taylor, D. C. (2013, November). The Drive Behind “Soft, Soothing & Serene Fine Art." Sonoran Arts Network Magazine. Retrieved from Sonoran Arts Network Magazine on December 1, 2013.
