Meet Jenny Olsen | Oil Painter

We had the good fortune of connecting with Jenny Olsen and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Jenny, what makes you happy? Why?
Happiness is many things, big and small.

Happiness is rare moment I re-connect with that carefree child in me but with a wisdom and awareness of an adult. What makes me happy is having the luxury of time to see, to feel, to investigate, to discover, to think, and to linger. Happiness is having time to do what I love the most.

What do I love the most? Painting, of course. I was one of those kids who could not stop drawing and painting. A friend who knew me since kindergarten recently told me that she remembered that almost every single page of my notebooks and even textbooks were filled with drawings. It all stopped at middle school. Too long a story to tell here. Later on, careers and raising family postponed my longing to return to art. Finally in 2019, I applied for the graduate school and entered art school for the first time. I received my MFA in 2D Fine Art Painting from the Massachusetts College of Art and Design in May 2022. After graduation, I received the fellowship to attend a month long Art Residency at MassMOCA. All I did at the residency were thinking and making paintings. I was in heaven.

It is better late than never. Happiness is appreciating what I have now. As a non-traditional student, I had the best time in art school. I worked harder than ever before. In addition to the great education, I have made great friends along the way, many of them no more than half of my age. Life is good.

Now I am a practicing artist, a painter. My main medium is oil. I choose the medium for its versatility and most of all I enjoy the sensation of applying oil paints. That being said, being an artist is not easy. But the struggle makes every little new discovery sweeter. I feel happy seeing surprises in my work. I feel happy when a piece I am working on is taking on a life of its own.

I am happy that I am finally able to live and work as an artist. There are also many small everyday things, family, friends, my loft, my town, that make me happy. I am not a good sleeper, so having a good night’s sleep always makes my day. Thank you.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
I am an oil painter of both figurative and abstracts. I loved to draw and paint as a chid, but only entered art school for the first time in 2019 as a non-traditional student. I received my MFA in 2022. My art defines me, not my age. Never give up your dream or your voice, So far everything is going well. I was a spontaneous painter before school. Now my biggest challenge is over thinking. I am looking for the balance between listening to my heart and my head. I strive for the undiscovered truth within myself. Music is another love of mine, I hope to add some musicality, poetry and humor along the way to my work. .

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?

Shoutout to all my cohorts at MassArt graduate 2D-3D Fine Art Program for their art and friendship, especially Sarah Hull, Ruby Yang Sun, Madison Suniga and Jesus Pizarro.  To my friend Barbara Ishikura for her inspiration and generosity.

My gratitude to my professors: James Cambronne, Cecilia Vazquez, Roger Tibbetts, Adrian Kohn, James Stanley, Wendy Jacobs, Catarina Coelho, and Jessica Tam at MassArt and Professors Charles Goss and Patrick Carter at SFMA, Tufts;  MassArt Graduate Program; My husband John, daughter Christina; Mom and Dad;

Last but not the least, Grandpa Liu, who showered me with art books when I was growing up.

Website: jennyolsen.com

Instagram: @jennylaiolsen; @jennyolsenart

Image Credits
Image I : @Carolina. Picante Image 2 -5: Jenny Olsen