Watercolor. 12"x 16"
Portland LDS Temple.
Oil on canvas. 22″ x 28″ Hells Canyon, Idaho. This painting explores the varied textures of the canyons in Idaho. I contrasted velvet hills with feathered grass and the dense patterning of trees. This view was shared with me by a friend who had gone hunting one summer at this spot. After I painted the canyon, I noticed there was a crater in the photograph. I wasn’t keen on having a crater in my painting but there it was – I...
Watercolor. 8″ x 10″ Anchorage, Alaska LDS Temple. Entrances to holy places are often filled with symbolism and sometimes mystery. I was intrigued by this doorway for its simplicity and sparkling glass. Why glass in such a tough, northern land like Alaska? Perhaps this glass is not as delicate and fragile as we assume, it is reinforced with strong lines and bold designs. I see this glass doorway as a symbol of the young woman’s...
Watercolor. 15″ x 22″ This painting was created during a hot summer in Utah when I was missing the Pacific Northwest terribly. There was no air conditioning and I sat with my watercolor paper in a stifling little corner and painted cool green leaves to make myself feel better. There was no where I would have rather been than strolling on a wooded path near the bay. I remember that later when I revisited this spot I felt like I had walked into...
Watercolor. 12″x 16″ Portland LDS Temple This painting is very special to me as it represents one of the most sacred covenants we enter into, marriage. My husband and I have walked this path and looked at these snapdragons and it makes the painting that much more real to me. The colors are somewhat primary and painted with simple, sometimes loose strokes. I think it speaks to the elementary principles of marital love and respect that the...
Watercolor. 11″x14″ Grapes are a symphony of juicy flavor, don’t you think? I think they are cool sweetness and warm sun all in one. I decided that if I was going to paint grapes I might as well paint flavors...
Welcome to the galleries of Janet Olson.
I hope you enjoy visiting the paintings and reading the short description for each one. May the colors and forms stir up your own memories and bring back fond feelings for places and people in your life.
“Nature contains the elements, in color and form, of all pictures, as the keyboard contains the notes of all music. But the artist is born to pick, and choose, and group with science, these elements, that the result may be beautiful – as the musician gathers his notes, and forms his chords, until he bring forth from chaos glorious harmony.” – James Abbott McNeill Whistler
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Janet Olson studied art and music at Brigham Young University where she received a Bachelor degree in Visual Arts Education K-12 and a Minor in Music. She has studied under many accomplished painters including Bruce Smith and Robert Marshall at Brigham Young University, Chuck Long of Huntsville, Alabama, LaMar Walbeck of Salt Lake City, Utah, Polly Barrett of Idaho and Dorothy Moore of Oregon. Janet has also shared her love of art with elementary, middle school and high school students as a professional teacher.
