"I paint because I cannot not paint, if that makes any sense. It is my spiritual path, one that delivers me fron the stress of this crazy world. Since returning to Iowa I have become increasingly interested in plein air painting. Painting 'en plein air' (in the open air) is a pursuit unlike any other painting technique. It challenges me to concentrate every sensory nerve on the information in front of me. I love the experience–from sight to sound, from temperature to atmosphere, and then channeling all those feelings from head to hand, re-creating the vision in front of me on canvas. It is truly a spiritual experience for me. Painting en plein air takes me out of my mind and into peace and happiness. The message of my paintings is a simple one: "feel peace." Let the combinations of light, color, atmosphere and the beautiful landscape, wash over you and take you to a place where you can hear the sounds of the birds around you; where you can feel the warmth of a setting sun and smell the freshly cut hay. Just sit back and feel love for the perfection of this creation and remember to take a moment to stop and watch a beautiful sunset. I seek peace–in the world and within myself. Painting helps me to experience that, and I hope that my work will have the same effect on you."

Born in 1955, Hans Eric Olson grew up in a small Midwestern town in Iowa. His artistic talents began to manifest at an early age due in large part, he believes, to the constant encouragement of his mother, an accomplished artist herself. Drawing lessons for Hans began almost as early as he can remember. He was driven to create and was often found refining his works, experimenting with the various methods of painting, or studying the lives of the masters before him.

Three days after graduating from his small high school in Iowa, he left in search of an artist to apprentice with, ending up in Los Angeles. Sheer luck landed him a job with a publishing house where he helped to illustrate various books while working with a small, exclusive group of talented artists. He trained much like the "old world masters" in a painstaking technique called "glazing", in which layer upon layer of very thin oils are placed on the canvas.

It was at this point that Hans decided he was ready for formal art classes. Because he always held a psecial place in his heart for the mountains and nature, he moved to Denver, Colorado, and enrolled in The Rocky Mountain School of Art.

He studied painting, illustration, and design, and upon completion he made the decision to become an illustrator. He returned to Los Angeles where work was readily available. It was there in southern California that Olson opened his first studio and established himself as a freelance artist with assignments for book covers, magazine advertisements, record covers, and work in the motion picture industry.

After years in fast-paced California, he was ready for a vacation, so he decided to visit Maui. "Stepping off the plane I felt that nourishing, inspiring energy that feeds the souls of artists from all around the world and I knew I wanted to take time to paint in paradise!" He returned to California only long enough to tie up loose ends, moving to Maui in early 1993. During the next three years Hans painted over 50 oil paintings of Hawaiian landscapes. "Maui can be overwhelming at times," says Hans. "The incredible beauty of the islands stimulates an artist's creative spirit, which produces an atmosphere where an artist can create a lot of work and feel incredibly nourished by Nature."

After three years in Maui Hans decided to do something he had never considered since he graduated from high school 23 years earlier. He felt a calling to return to the Midwest and began painting the motifs that inspired him in his youth. "It took almost a year to appreciate the natural beauty of this area after coming from the island of Maui. Now I look forward to the change of seasons with great anticipation. The simple landscape with it's huge sky and rolling prairies inspires me now."

Hans now resides in Iowa City, Iowa. "The small town atmosphere of Iowa City reminds me of the town where I grew up, Garner, Iowa. That was a happy time in my life. I had no worries, there were always friends and family to spend time with, life seemed to move at a slower pace."

Now Hans spends many hours exploring the natural beauty of the Midwest. He also travels frequently to the Southwest where he finds his inspiration from the incredible landscape and colors of the high desert. His current interest lies in the "Plein-Air" style of painting, where the artist paints directly from nature, quickly trying to capture the rapidly changing light and shadows of the landscape.