KAREN OLSON
Fine Art and Sculptural Photography
Mentoring Sessions
Personal mentoring sessions in photography, technology, or creativity
2024
Classes and Workshops
See what’s in store for 2024
Lens-Based Artist
Karen Olson is a lens-based artist working at the intersection of human emotion and the natural world. She uses concept-based projects to explore the human-nature connection and its role in fostering mental health and communication. She seeks an open dialog with subjects such as grief, trauma, empathy, and forest bathing. Karen illustrates these multi-sensory experiences with two and three-dimensional works, creating intimate and immersive landscapes that offer the viewer respite and recovery.
“I was drawn to these sculptural pieces from the first moment I saw them. They work on so many levels, and I appreciate how the artist so expertly managed to convey both vulnerability and strength in each unique piece. I love their fluidity and translucent quality. Each choice made— from the images themselves to the paper and their scorched edges, and the way they’re so artfully and beautifully shaped— all have meaning and work so well together. Conceptually inventive, imaginative, and fully realized, this is a perfect example of how all the thoughtfully chosen details perfectly create the whole.”
— Diana Bloomfield, 2021 Rfotofolio Juror
Gently walking camera in hand through the forests near my home directly connects me to the natural world in an intimate and personal way.
Back in the studio, the act of constructing, deconstructing, and constructing further imitates the natural cycles of growth and decay. Diverse artistic elements are digitally captured, blended, and intertwined. Natural fibers, papers, and photographs are formed and sculpted adding weight and texture. This process helps me make sense of the world, pulls me in, and grounds me.
Follow my journey on Instagram
