John Olsen
jno337@cablespeed.com
jno337@cablespeed.com
729 La Cana St., Coupeville, WA 98239
Type of artwork – what medium, how is it classified?
Photography, film based, B&W
How long have you been an artist? I’ve been serious about my photography for 25 years, including six years as a commercial photographer.
Artist’s Statement:
I have photographed widely in Asia, Europe and Mexico, as well as in my long-term home state of New Mexico. Since relocating to the Northwest I have explored this new environment and radically adapted my camera techniques for the softer light and deeper foliage of the Puget Sound area. My work often has social or historical interests as a primary motivation, but I also find a rich vein of local scenery to explore here on Whidbey Island. I work in all camera formats, but favor infrared and very high-speed films for interpretive images.
How long have you been an artist? I’ve been serious about my photography for 25 years, including six years as a commercial photographer.
Artist’s Statement:
I have photographed widely in Asia, Europe and Mexico, as well as in my long-term home state of New Mexico. Since relocating to the Northwest I have explored this new environment and radically adapted my camera techniques for the softer light and deeper foliage of the Puget Sound area. My work often has social or historical interests as a primary motivation, but I also find a rich vein of local scenery to explore here on Whidbey Island. I work in all camera formats, but favor infrared and very high-speed films for interpretive images.
My current photographic work is all black and white, printed in my own darkroom and sometimes hand-colored with oil paints. Featured work on the Tour will include mystic places in Japan, China, Mexico, and England. New work since arriving on Whidbey Island focuses on Fort Ebey, Fort Casey and Deception Pass, in both scenic and political interpretations. My web site at www.johnolsenphoto.com gives a broad sampling of interests, part of which is on display at Artworks Gallery on Greenbank Farm.
I have six years of experience as a commercial photographer in New Mexico and Colorado, doing mostly architectural and product work. Over the last 25 years I have installed 10 darkrooms for myself, resisting the lure of digital systems for a more hands-on relation with my work.
What is interesting and distinctive about you and your artwork?
I prefer to work in strong contrasts and graphic forms, often with an underlying message. To this I bring image-making skills and equipment from commercial photography.
Why do you create? What are you passionate about?
Sometimes I want to convey my feelings about historical or political problems that mean a lot to my personal worldview. This is the background on my projects in Mexico, China and local gun batteries. At other times I want to condense touristic clichés to classic compositions that just express my own wonder.
What projects are you currently working on? Any upcoming shows?
I have two new projects: (1) strong-feature B&W portraits and (2) documentation techniques for 3D artists, which will become a workshop soon. In addition, I continue to expand most of the topic areas that I feature in my web site, which I update pretty frequently. For instance, I just scouted an abandoned Cold War site in Eastern Washington that just begs for exploitation. I think that I need a generator and an accomplice – any takers?
What will guests see you doing at your studio during the Whidbey Island Open Studio Tour (OST)?
Visitors may experience use of large format cameras and studio lighting equipment in a portrait experiment. I will explain film-based darkroom techniques, as well. The use of hand-tinted photos in shrines may also inspire others in their work.
Choose a piece that you will have for sale on the OST and describe why you created it, your feelings when you created it, and the process you went through.
“Coupeville Fronts” is a B&W portrayal of the Coupeville waterfront shot from beach level at high tide. I worked on this same setting in 35mm, medium format, and large format cameras and with normal B&W film and infrared film in varying weather until I could print an image that conveyed the historic strength that should be captured. It is less than pretty, but very honest, reflecting more of the hard-scrabble, old times than the current touristy scene. This, I think, does the scene historic justice.
I have six years of experience as a commercial photographer in New Mexico and Colorado, doing mostly architectural and product work. Over the last 25 years I have installed 10 darkrooms for myself, resisting the lure of digital systems for a more hands-on relation with my work.
What is interesting and distinctive about you and your artwork?
I prefer to work in strong contrasts and graphic forms, often with an underlying message. To this I bring image-making skills and equipment from commercial photography.
Why do you create? What are you passionate about?
Sometimes I want to convey my feelings about historical or political problems that mean a lot to my personal worldview. This is the background on my projects in Mexico, China and local gun batteries. At other times I want to condense touristic clichés to classic compositions that just express my own wonder.
What projects are you currently working on? Any upcoming shows?
I have two new projects: (1) strong-feature B&W portraits and (2) documentation techniques for 3D artists, which will become a workshop soon. In addition, I continue to expand most of the topic areas that I feature in my web site, which I update pretty frequently. For instance, I just scouted an abandoned Cold War site in Eastern Washington that just begs for exploitation. I think that I need a generator and an accomplice – any takers?
What will guests see you doing at your studio during the Whidbey Island Open Studio Tour (OST)?
Visitors may experience use of large format cameras and studio lighting equipment in a portrait experiment. I will explain film-based darkroom techniques, as well. The use of hand-tinted photos in shrines may also inspire others in their work.
Choose a piece that you will have for sale on the OST and describe why you created it, your feelings when you created it, and the process you went through.
“Coupeville Fronts” is a B&W portrayal of the Coupeville waterfront shot from beach level at high tide. I worked on this same setting in 35mm, medium format, and large format cameras and with normal B&W film and infrared film in varying weather until I could print an image that conveyed the historic strength that should be captured. It is less than pretty, but very honest, reflecting more of the hard-scrabble, old times than the current touristy scene. This, I think, does the scene historic justice.
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