Frank Sinatra and the Egg Connection

The Egg Connection owners and servers have asked permission to use one of my wee urban sketcher gouache paintings on their menu for their Christmas wishes!

Frank Sinatra for Christmas. 8x8. Gouache on paper by Christy Olsen.

This is one of their Christmas decorations that I painted from life when I was at the restaurant. It is fun to look at. It moves and sings like Frank Sinatra!

Below is the modification.

For more information on this fabulous restaurant, visit theeggconnection.com.

Just wishing everyone a Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays

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Southwest Art, Ones to Collect (Oct. 2018)

"For art lovers, collecting paintings and sculptures is about much more than a financial investment. It's a means of self-expression. As the late Belgian artist Jean Willy Mestach once said. 'Tell me what you collect, tell me how you collect, and I will tell you who you are.' The pieces we choose to acquire may convey a meaningful story, capture a fond memory, or represent a period in art history we admire. In the end, it's always a personal choice. In the following pages, we've rounded up a diverse sampling of fine artworks to help you navigate the wide and wonderful world of collecting" (Southwest Art, October 2018, pg. 102).

Southwest Art
October 2018. Vol. 48, Issue No. 5.

Summer's Wedding Day
Southwest Magazine,
published October 2018.

"Fine art capturing mood, light & atmosphere in oil or pastel. Regardless of the subject matter, whether it is figures, animals, nature, or still life, Christy Olsen's work includes loose impressionistic marks or visible brushwork. Christy is currently teaching drawing & painting at the Art Verve Academy in Tucson, Arizona" (Southwest Art, October 2018, pg. 105).

Image of Summer's Wedding day. Pastel on sanded paper. 9x12. was featured.

Reference
Ones to Collect. Southwest Art Magazine.
Published October 2018. Volume 48 (Issue No. 5).

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Richeson 75 Figure & Portrait (Juried Exhibition & Art Sale 2018)

Cowgirl received a Meritorious Award in the Richeson 75 international art competition.

The "Richeson75 Figure & Portrait" annual exhibition will show at the Richeson School of Art gallery. This event is open to the general public. Admission is at no charge.

Cowgirl. 9x12. Pastel on board by Christy Olsen.

Juried Exhibition & Art Sale

Richeson 75 International are art competitions that offer a venue where established and emerging artists can show their latest, best work to a broader and more appreciative audience. The Richeson School of Art facilitates each competition with a unique genre. Artists from all over the world submit their pieces annually, where only 75 pieces are chosen, which is why it is called the "Richeson 75 International.

Jack Richeson & Co., Inc. underwrites large cash prizes for Best-In-Show and generous prizes of Richeson art studio furniture and materials for each contest cycle genre. The 75 finalists for each regular contest genre exhibit their work in the beautiful Richeson Gallery, which appears in a hardcover book for that annual competition genre.

There is also a companion online exhibit that reaches a broad audience. Medium categories include 1) oil, oil pastels, & acrylics, 2) Other media (soft pastels, drawing /dry media, watercolor, gouache, casein, printmaking, etc.).

Dates

October 25 - December 2, 2018

Artist's Reception

October 26, 2018 (5:30 p.m. - 8:30 p.m.)
Refreshments served.

About the Host

Richeson School of Art is located in Kimberly, Wisconsin. They are proud to utilize locally and nationally known artists that teach a variety of art mediums at their on-site location. Their studio functions as an educational classroom, life drawing session studio, and local meeting space for artists to work during our open studio times.

Jack Richeson & Co. is a leading manufacturer and supplier of high-quality art materials. In 2005, company founder and CEO Jack Richeson realized his lifelong dream of creating a resource for artists to exhibit artwork, gain inspiration and further their artistic education.

About the Gallery

Richeson Gallery features over 700 original works of art composed by the Richeson Permanent Collection and regional and local artists. As part of its mission to support the visual arts community, the Richeson School of Art operates and sponsors an art gallery on-site.

Richeson Gallery in Kimberly, WI

There are two rotating exhibit spaces where world-renowned artists hang alongside up-and-coming artists' work, creating a beautiful harmony for visitors to experience. The permanent collection holds over 500 works by artists, including Stephen Quiller, Zoltan Szabo, Ramon Kelly, Richard Schmidt, Urania Christy Tarbet, Erica Norelius, and many more.

Richeson Gallery in Kimberly, WI

Location

Richeson Gallery
557 Marcella Street, Kimberly, WI, 54136

Hours

Tuesday, Thursday & Friday (10:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.)
Wednesdays (10:00 a.m. - 8:00 p.m.)
Saturdays (10:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.)
Sundays & Mondays (Closed)
Or call for an appointment.

Sales

Artwork may be purchased during the show at the gallery but must stay hung throughout the exhibition. For Purchasing Information:
- Visit Richesongallery.com
- Phone +1 (800) 233-2404 or +1 (920) 560-3777
- Or email: artschool@richesonart.com

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Publications

Cowgirl was published in the limited edition Richeson 75 International exhibition book.

All Richeson 75 International competitions are capped off with the publication of a collectible, limited-edition, full-color, hardcover exhibit book. These books include the finalists' work and feature meritorious awards from the competition.

Richeson 75 International
Figure & Portrait 2018

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Check Out Christy Olsen's Artwork (Interview Jun. 2018)

Check Out Christy Olsen's Artwork.
Retrieved from voyagephoenix.com on June 6, 2018.

Article by Robert Williamson

Published by VoyagePhoenix Magazine on June 5, 2018.

Transcript

Today we’d like to introduce you to Christy Olsen.

Christy, we’d love to hear your story and how you got to where you are today both personally and as an artist.
I was inspired to create at an early age. I was born in Memphis, Tennessee as a third-generation painter. Growing up in a family of artists, I played under my mother’s easel where I acquired a colossal passion for drawing. My own artistic skills in drawing and painting were developed from a unique combination of formal education, self-directed practice, experimentation, and tutelage under several contemporary masters.

We’d love to hear more about your art. What do you do you do and why and what do you hope others will take away from your work?
At a time when representational art was not offered in the fine arts curriculum at most universities, I chose to earn a Bachelor’s of Art (B.A.) degree in Art History instead by studying the Old Masters via the classroom. I am heavily influenced by the Impressionists of the late 19th and early 20th century, especially the ones who studied in Florence, including Mary Cassatt, Dennis Bunker-Miller, Edmund Tarbell and Giovanni Boldini.

I paint in oil or use the pastel medium to capture mood, light & atmosphere. I work in the studio from life drawings, color studies, sketchbooks, my own observations or perceptions. I paint in any genre, whether it’s figure, animals, landscape or still life. My work is often referred to as ‘soft, soothing & serene.’

What do you think it takes to be successful as an artist?
The secret to outstanding artistic achievement is not talent, it’s perseverance. Just don’t quit. You have to enjoy the process not the end result. Once you realize it’s the process not the final piece, you’ve made it no matter what level you’re at.

Do you have any events or exhibitions coming up? Where would one go to see more of your work? How can people support you and your artwork?
I am currently showing my work in juried exhibitions with the Tucson Pastel Society. I also do a bi-annual open studio tour with the Heart of Tucson Art.

Reference
Williamson, R. (2018, June 5). Check Out Christy Olsen's Artwork. VoyagePhoenix Magazine. Retrieved from voyagephoenix.com on June 10, 2018.

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Animal Safari Sketch (Summer 2018)

Go on a super fun safari, to sketch or draw the animals on location at the fabulous International Wildlife Museum. Get a close-up look at taxidermy mammals and birds from the collection in the upstairs classroom. Through a series of simple exercises with a focus on gesture, structure & anatomy, you will learn how to draw animals.

Gouache by Christy Olsen

You will also explore how to render texture such as fur or reptilian skin. We will set up animals within the classroom in the proper studio lighting to create dynamic compositions and practice smaller studies. Each session also includes time for practice in the downstairs natural history museum on animals within their own diorama.

Meets: (4) Saturday Afternoons 1:30 PM - 4:30 PM (3-hour duration)
Dates: Jul. 14, 21, 28 Aug. 4 in 2018
Location: Upstairs Board Room of the International Wildlife Museum (4800 West Gates Pass Boulevard, Tucson, Arizona 85745) via the Art Verve Academy.
Directions: From the West: On West Gates Pass Boulevard, turn left after W. McElroy Dr.
From the East: On West Gates Pass Boulevard, turn right after N. Camino De Oeste.

Instructor: Christy Olsen
Format: Lecture & demonstration, individual feedback, or one-on-one instruction will be provided, during in-class exercises or studio practice.
Level: Beginner to Intermediate

Medium: Not media-specific, demonstrations will be performed in charcoal, graphite, or pastel pencil
Technique: Drawing from life, Drawing textures such as fur or animal skin
Materials: The instructor will email the materials list prior to the first day of class.

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Plein Air in Boyce Thompson Arboretum (Juried Exhibition & Art Sale 2018)

Was accepted into this show!

This exhibition spotlights paintings completed outdoors or 'en Plein air.' Landscapes, flora, and fauna of the Sonoran desert are celebrated! Also, expect to see familiar garden scenes painted on location or inspired by vistas and the gardens themselves at the Boyce Thompson Arboretum.

Who's There. 9x12. Pastel on sanded paper by Christy Olsen.

Juried Exhibition & Art Sale

This event is open to the general public. Admission fees apply.

• Adult admission ($12.50)
• Children under 12 ($5.00)
• Children under 5 (free)

Dates

April 1 - April 30, 2018

Mission San Xaxier del Bac. 12x16. Pastel on sanded paper by Christy Olsen.

About the Host

The Tucson Pastel Society (TPS) is a non-profit 501 (c)(3) organization established to advocate and promote the pastel medium and have fun doing art in the communities it serves. TPS is an active and vital art organization for pastel artists to flourish, fostering the skills and camaraderie of its members while encouraging community awareness of dry pastel fine art by offering exhibitions and events. For more information, visit the Tuscon Pastel Society.org.

Juror

Maurice Sevigny
Former Professor and Dean of Fine Arts at the University of Arizona

About the Visitor Center Gallery

This exhibition will be in the visitor center of the Boyce Thompson Arboretum State Park. The Boyce Thompson Arboretum is the largest and oldest botanical garden in Arizona. It is one of the oldest botanical institutions west of the Mississippi.

Boyce Thompson Arboretum

Location

Boyce Thompson Arboretum State Park Visitor Center
37615 E. Arboretum Way, Superior, Arizona 85173

Hours

Daily (8:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.)

Sale

Artwork may be purchased during the show but must stay hung throughout the exhibition.

For Purchasing Information:
Phone +1 (520) 689-2723

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Open Studio Tour & Art Sale (2018 Spring)

Will be participating in this event!

Artists Open their Studios to the Public

Open Studio Tour & Art Sale

The HotA Open Studio Tour supports the Tucson Arts Community, the local economy and educates or brings awareness to the general public about the Visual Arts. The event draws about 10,000 visitors annually to over 200 artists’ studios throughout Tucson and Pima County.

Tucson and Pima County

The public is invited to visit artists within their natural habitat, studio, or workshop on a free self-guided tour. This allows them to see first-hand how artists work or learn more about their process. They may also purchase preliminary work, smaller studies, and unframed or framed gallery-ready original fine art directly from the artists within their studios.

About the Facilitator

Artists & artisans located deep within the heart of Tucson, Arizona band together through the Heart of Tucson Art (HoTA) to celebrate the rich artistic culture of the Tucson Arts District. For more information, visit heartoftucsonart.org.

Dates & Hours

Studios will be open on the following dates and times.

April 14, 2018, Saturday (10 am - 4 pm)
April 15, 2018, Sunday (10 am - 4 pm)

Sales

Original artwork is available for take-home on the same-day purchase. Major credit cards listed below, check, or cash is accepted.

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Art from the Heart (Group Exhibition & Art Sale 2018)

Will be in this show!

Art from the Heart is a charity art sale and exhibition, all proceeds directly support other non-profit local art charities selected by the Tucson Pastel Society (TPS). Original pastels will also be exhibited and sold in Murphey Gallery from the art guild members.

Yume Gardens. 12x16. Pastel on sanded paper by Christy Olsen

Charity Art Sale & Exhibition

Art from the Heart is a charity art sale and exhibition. All original artwork will be in the pastel medium, created by the Tucson Pastel Society art guild members. Originals in various subjects will be displayed in multiple sizes, from small to large. The event is free and open to the public.

Small original artwork less than 11x14 (with the frame included) is priced at $100.00 or less. The following original was donated to the charity art sale.

Owl. 6x8. Pastel on sanded paper by Christy Olsen. Donation for charity.

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Dates

Jan 21 - Feb. 28, 2018

Artist's Reception

Jan. 21, 2018 (12:00 p.m. - 2:30 p.m.)
Refreshments served.

About the Host

The Tucson Pastel Society (TPS) is a non-profit 501 (c)(3) organization established to advocate and promote the pastel medium and have fun doing art in the communities it serves. TPS is an active and vital art organization for pastel artists to flourish, fostering the skills and camaraderie of its members while encouraging community awareness of dry pastel fine art by offering exhibitions and events. For more information, visit the Tuscon Pastel Society.org.

About the Gallery

Murphey Gallery is located on the grounds of Saint Philip's Episcopal Church in the Foothills of Tucson, Arizona. Visit the gardens or see Koi pond. Follow the beautiful columns in the architecture to the gallery entrance.

Murphey Gallery
On the St. Philip's Episcopal Church grounds in the Foothills

Murphey Gallery gardens and Koi pond

Location

Murphey Gallery
4440 N. Campbell Avenue, Tucson, AZ 85718
Located on the grounds of Saint Philip's Episcopal Church in the Foothills.

Hours

Sundays (9:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.) or call for an appointment.

Sale

Original artwork may be taken immediately after the transaction is complete.

For Purchasing Information:
Phone +1 (520) 299-6421

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The Event

Image of the installation.

Murphey Gallery
Art from the Heart (Charity Art Sale 2018)

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