Gallery North's March Featured Artist

Thomas A. Olson - Artist Second Retrospective

         This show is to honor once more his long time membership in Gallery North and allow collectors and fans of his work to see the last of his remaining originals and reproductions. We encourage all those who have enjoyed Mr. Olson's paintings to take advantage of this opportunity.  

Mr. Olson has his work represented in many private and corporate collections including Golden Grain, 3M, PNB, Children's Orthopedic and Northwest Hospitals. He was born and raised in the Scandinavian farm belt of Minnesota, in the Mississippi River area. He studied at the art schools of St. John's University and the University of Minnesota under the noted artists Cameron Booth and Josephine Lutz Rollins.

After military service in the early 60's, he returned to Minneapolis where he worked in advertising and graphic arts for ten years.  During this period he exhibited his work widely in numerous Midwest art shows, winning the National Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing (3M) Watercolor Competition in 1967 and was an award winner in the National Industrial House Organ Graphic Competition. He was an active member of Association of Professional Artists (APA) in the Midwest.

After settling in the Seattle area in 1970, Thomas A. Olson exhibited and received awards in various local and regional art shows, including "The Changing Scene in Washington" exhibit at the Seattle Museum of History and Industry, the Puget Sound County Exhibition sponsored by West Coast Paper Company, the Bellevue Art Museum Annual Exhibition of Northwest Watercolors, the Puget Sound Area Exhibition annuals at the Frye  Art Museum, and local art festivals including "Best Nautical Scene" and "Public Choice" awards, and others at the Edmonds Art Festival. At the Annual North Kitsap Arts and Crafts Show in Poulsbo, he has been awarded "1^st Place" and "Best of Show" in the Professional Painting Division. He has shown in many regional galleries and has had several one-man shows. He  served as Juror for various local and regional art shows, including the annual Spring Exhibition at the State Capitol Museum in Olympia.

Thomas A. Olson was an active exhibitor in many of the invitational group shows in the area, and was a member of Gallery North, Artist's Gallery Northwest, Northwest Watercolor Society, The Seattle League of Arts, and Artist's Equity Association. He will be truly missed.

A reception will be held during Art Walk on  March 20^th from 5-8 PM.