Nanette Oleson’s passion for nature was first ignited as a child living on the Alaskan Kenai Peninsula where wild animals roamed and majestic mountains etched a home in her spirit. Little did she know that after following a career as a school counselor with a mission to help every child find their own area of passion and giftedness, she found hidden within her a wealth of vibrant colors and images seeking to emerge. The artistic whirlwind started at age 45 with a chance encounter in the mall by a stranger who volunteered to not only teach Nanette how to paint, but to share supplies and charge nothing. Almost immediately Nanette began constructing a studio to fling her imaginative images on canvas. Within six months she was winning awards, receiving grants and planning for a full time career as an artist. She attributes her success to fearlessness, enthusiasm and a wild, adventurous spirit that is evident in her art.  

 

Her paintings vibrate with color, emitting a joyful spontaneity of life. As a practicing therapist for over 30 years, Nanette believes in the healing power of art. Not surprisingly her art has been selected for many health care facilities. She believes color creates energy. Her compositions are designed to create a surprise and a jolt out of the normal—so that the viewer might experience the sudden flush of wonder and joy that she experiences as she flings paint on the canvas and lathers on the buttery texture. Her art is inspired by her love of gardening, and frequent wilderness hikes accompanied by her two energetic herding dogs.