Indigenous Artist Bio
Erika Olson began her fine art studies at Queen’s University, which gave her a foundation in painting, drawing and sculpture. Looking for a broader artistic experience, she attended the Nova Scotia College of Art and Design where she explored textiles and conceptual art. She completed her BFA at Concordia University in 1997 concentrating on painting and relocated to Kingston to set up her art practice. She has had numerous solo and group exhibitions in commercial and public galleries and an artist run centre. Erika has shown in Kingston, Toronto and Calgary and in the UK represented by the Innocence Gallery. Erika Olson has had commercial and artistic success in traditional painting and pastel drawing, with subject matter such as still life and abstraction, and has equally demonstrated strength in conceptual work.
In 2024 Erika was awarded a Mid Career Grant from the Ontario Arts Council. This year she also created eight paintings for the published cookbook Left and Right Brain Cookery.
Artist Statement
My interpretation of The myth of Persephone's cyclical journey between the underworld and her ascencion is that it bears a striking resemblance to the patterns observed in bipolar disorder, a mental health condition characterised by alternating periods of mania and depression. Bipolar mood shifts often occur in cycles, with periods of stability in between, much like the changing seasons in the Persephone myth.
Email: erikaolson@yahoo.com Website/Social: www.erikaolson.com
