Landscape and wildlife are Mr. Olson's main subjects. He feels that "It is difficult to consider the beauties of our forests and deserts without thought of the marvels of wildlife that are so much a part of it."
Although landscape and wildlife are his forte', Equestrian, Aeronautical, Stillife and Portraiture have also attracted his attention and have been the subjects of a number of successful works and the subjects of many important commissions.
He is considered a self-taught artist having only two semesters of formal art training. HIs informal instruction, however, included several well-established artists and art teachers, a class with The Scottsdale School of Art in Arizona and the works and writings of many noted artist-authors and therorist are found in his library of art texts. Other formal education, although associated with engineering and science, laid the groundwork in understanding of the basic sciences and contributed to a lively curiosity of how things work including how we perceive color and composition. His work has also been much affected by the works of the great master artists viewed in many galleries in the U.S. and Europe.
Over the years, he has received numerous awards including "first place", "best of show" and "popular choice". His paintings and drawings have been shown in juried exhibits including The Arts for the Parks Competition, The L.D.S. International Competiton, The Springville April Salon and many local competitions. His work has been used for awards, medallions, government publications, and has been published in calendars, exhibit brochures and also received attention in the press including news and magazine articles.
James Forest Olson
Landscape and Wildlife Artist