Known as Olaf, is a prolific Canadian painter inspired by the power and diversity of the northern landscape. An explorer by nature, the artist travels across Canada, gaining inspiration and discovering new color combinations by painting outdoors on location. His large-scale canvases are necessarily created in the studio.

Olaf uses color, light, and brushwork to achieve visual harmony. He captures the movement of water, as well as the freshness and clarity of sunlight, which seems to glisten on his surfaces. In describing himself as well as other artists of “representational art,” he writes: “Each dab is stimulated by the details that I observe; we see what others miss and then make it compelling. We proudly push and alter the colours to suit our ravenous needs. We improvise right on the spot.”

The artist experiments with a variety of subjects -- from Canadian landscapes and canoe scenes to paintings of marbles and chairs. Through his art, he expresses his love for life and affinity for vibrant colour. Olaf explains: “I paint an image and convey an emotional context that is accessible to the viewer. I like to use expressive and thick impastoed brushstrokes or soft, blended strokes to render a sense of movement and texture, giving the painting a life of its own.

My interpretation of color also sets the dynamic mood. The tones often range from the darkest to the lightest in an effort to achieve maximum drama. This creative combination of ‘information’ is spontaneous and intuitive.”

Schooled at the Ontario College of Art, Sheridan College, Olaf resides in the Toronto area. His paintings are widely exhibited in Toronto, Quebec, Alberta and throughout North America, as well as in Germany, the Netherlands, and Italy. He has been heralded with top honors in International Artist Magazine.

Group Exhibitions:

2007 - Miller Gallery - Cinncinatti - Ohio
2007 - Scottsdale Art Gallery - Arizona
2007 - Art Appreciation - Barrie, Ontario
2006 - Westmount Gallery - Timeless Realism
2005 - 2006 - Buckhorn Fine Art Show
2006 - Kipling Gallery Woodbridge, Ontario
2006 - Manitou Gallery, Santa Fe, New Mexico
2006 - Latino America International
2005 - Algonquin Art Centre
2003 - 2007 - Westmount Gallery
2004 - 2006 Todmorden Mills Heritage Museum and Art Centre
2003 - Port Credit Outdoor Art Show - Mississauga
2002 - 2005 - Hummingbird Centre, Toronto
2000 - Living Arts Centre Outdoor Art Exhibit, Mississauga
1999 - 2002 - Airbrush Excellence Competition First Place Winner
1998 - 2004 Colors & Form Society
1998 - 2002 Molson Indy - Toronto / Vancouver

Publications:

Scarborough Mirror
Vaughan Weekly
George Chuvalo Fight Against Drugs
International Artist
Art Fix
WPBS Television
Algonquin Park news
The Huntsville Forrester
24 Hours
Toronto Life
Magazin’art Biennial Guide 2004 - 2005 - 2006
Creative Source 1989, 2004
Toronto Sun
Toronto Star
Montreal Gazette

Corporate and Private Collections:

Make a Wish Foundation
George Chuvalo Fight Against Drugs Foundation - Canada
Paul Smith’s College – New York
Make a wish Foundation - Toronto
Hospital for Sick Children -Toronto
Jessie Centre for Teenagers - Toronto
Ontario Provincial Police - Canada
Labatt Breweries Ltd. Ontario, Canada
Evian Canada
Gilles Villeneuve Museum – Quebec
Chapters Indigo Canada
Mercedes-Benz – Toronto
Ford Ontario
Ferrari North America
Apple Canada
Governor General of Madrid, Spain
L.L.C.B.O.
Art Gallery of Ontario
Centennial College
Van Moorehem Barristers - Ontario
Hospital for Sick Children - Montreal
Block Parents Foundation - Canada