
Erik Olson, L.A. Studio
Born 1982, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
Working with painting, printmaking and sculpture, Erik Olson balances the scientific and the poetic as he visualizes his life. People and experiences that are familiar to the artist become the subject of works that question our presumptions and our perception of the world. The painted figures that populate his canvases are likened to characters in mystery plays, each flaunting their own constructed personas and exuberant color. As portraits continue to be a central focus of his practice, his curiosity often leads to a variety of content across multiple scales: from the subconscious psychology of the sitter, to the windswept landscapes of America, to the scale of the planets and the vast cosmos. For Olson, painting and image making are a continuing method to explore and expand upon an understanding of reality.
Erik Olson has lived a nomadic life, having been raised in Calgary, Boston, and Nairobi as a child. He graduated with a Bachelor’s Degree from Emily Carr University of Art + Design in Vancouver in 2007. From 2014 to 2016, he attended the acclaimed Kunstakademie Düsseldorf as a guest student of Peter Doig. Olson has been the subject of solo exhibitions in major cities across Canada, the United States, and Europe. His work has been featured in Juxtapoz, ELLE Canada, The London Free Press, London Yodeller, and The Telegraph, Artillery Magazine, among others. He currently lives and works in Calgary, Canada.
Erik Olson
Folk Song, 2018
Oil on canvas
60 x 48 in.
Erik Olson
The Hobo, 2018
Oil and oil stick on wood
39 x 16 x 8 in.
Erik Olson
The Night Watchman, 2018
Oil an oil stick on wood
28.5 x 14 x 11 in.
Erik Olson
The Three Sculptures, 2018
Oil on canvas
60 x 84 in.
Erik Olson
Newton's Law, 2018
Oil and oil stick on canvas
60 x 84 in.
Erik Olson
Jack of Hearts, 2018
Oil on canvas
60 x 48 in.
Erik Olson
Skull, 2017
Oil on canvas
71 x 55 in.
Erik Olson
18 Dusseldorf Paintings, installation, 2017
Oil and oil stick on canvas
12 x 9.5 in. each
Erik Olson
Man in California, 2017
Oil on canvas
48 x 36 in.
Erik Olson
Self Portrait in Malaga, 2017
Oil on canvas
48 x 36 in.
Erik Olson
Hillary, 2017
Oil on linen
48 x 36 in.
Erik Olson
Missile Defense System, 2017
Oil on linen
48 x 36 in.