About the Artist

"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."

Born in 1955, Hans Eric Olson grew up in a small Midwestern town in Iowa. 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 oilsare placed on the canvas.

After years spent out West painting, 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 rollingprairies inspires me now."

Hans now resides in Fairfield, Iowa. where he spends many hours exploring the natural beauty of the Midwest. 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.

 

Resume

Year and City of Birth: Febuary 9, 1955 / Mason City, Iowa

Present City of Residence: Fairfield, Iowa

Schools of Study: Rocky Mountain School of Art, 1977, Colorado Institute of Art, 1978

 

Group Exhibits & One Man Shows:

"Impressions of Nature", One Man Show, Iowa Artisan Gallery, Iowa City, IA...April 3rd through May 2026

"The International Small Works Show", November 1st through February 8th 2026, Fairfield, IA 

Oil Painters of America's Salon Show, Virtual Show,  August 13th through October 3rd, 2020

"Views from the Road", Two Man Show, Artisan Gallery 218, Des Moines, IA, Opening December 6th, 2019

"Big Sky", One Man Show, Bereskin Gallery, Bettendorf, IA, July 5th through August 1st, 2019

Louisa Art Show, Morning Star, Iowa, October 5th, 2019

Oil Painters of America's Salon Show, Crooked Tree Arts Center, Traverse City, MI, June 22 through September 1, 2018

“The Beauty of Iowa”, One Man Show, Art Domestique Gallery, Washington, IA October, 2015

“Midwest Summer, Light and Warmth”, Group Show, Cedar Rapids Museum of Art, Cedar Rapids, IA, June, 2015

"My Landscape" Group Show at Black Earth Gallery, Cedar Rapids, IA

"Landscape" One man Show at Lowe Art Center Gallery, Marion, IA, June, 2014

“Small Works Group Show”, Chait Gallery, Iowa City, IA, November, 2014

"Portrayal of Mount Vernon" Group show at the Robert Murphy Art Gallery in Mount Vernon, Iowa, September 2013

One Man Show, Outside the Lines Art Gallery, Dubuque, IA, June, 2013

Dubuque Museum's Biennial Group Exhibition, Dubuque, IA, June, 2013

One Man show at University of Iowa Hospital and Clinics, Iowa City, IA, March, 2013

“Iowa Landscapes”, One Man Show, Absolute Art Gallery, Des Moines, IA, December, 2004

“Plein-air Landscapes”, One Man Show, Absolute Art Gallery, Des Moines, IA, May, 2003

“Spring”, Juried Group Show, Spring Street Gallery, Galena, IL, 2003

“Selected Works From Fairfield Artists”, Group Show of 9 Fairfield Painters, Heritage Gallery, Des Moines, Iowa, March, 2003

One Man Show, Prairie Moon Gallery, Fairfield, IA,December, 2002

“13 Fairfield Painters”, Group Show, Kirkwood Hotel, Des Moines, IA, October, 2002

Oil Painters of America’s National Show, Hilligoss Gallery, Chicago, IL, April 2002

Oil Painters of America’s National Show, Zantman Art Gallery, Palm Desert, CA, April 2001

Oil Painters of America’s Regional Midwest Show, Dunton Gallery, Chicago, IL, April 2000

 

Galleries &  Corporate Collections:         

• St. Lukes Hospital, Cedar Rapids, IA, Purchase of 1 paintings for their Permanent Art Collection, Oct, 2015

• Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, Purchase of 2 40”x 60” paintings for their Permanent Art Collection, Oct, 2014

• United Way Building, Cedar Rapids, IA, Purchase of 1 paintings for their Permanent Art Collection, Oct, 2013

• Hall-Perrine Cancer Center, Cedar Rapids, IA, Purchase of 4 paintings for their Infusion Ward, Oct, 2011

• Iowa State Bank, accross from Capitol, Downtown Des Moines, Purchase of 2 paintings for their Iowa Artist Collection, Oct, 2002

• Iowa State Bank, Fairfield, IA, Purchase of 1 paintings for their Iowa Artist Collection, Oct, 2002

  

Awards and Honors:

First Place, Iowa Artist’s State Show, Virtual Show,  2021

Peoples Choice Award, Iowa Artist’s State Show, Virtual Show,  2021 

Cash Award & People's Choice, Fairfield Art Association Annual Membership Show, Fairfield Iowa, February 23, 2020

Second Place, Small Works Show, Art Dominique, Washington, Iowa, December 5th, 2019

Second Place, Louisa Art Show, Morning Star, Iowa, October 5th, 2019

Peoples Choice Award, Iowa Artists State Show, Des Moines, IA, 2018 

First Place, Iowa Artist’s Regional Show, Burlington, IA, 2018

Peoples Choice Award, Fairfield Art Association Group Show, Fairfield, IA 2015 

Honorable Mention Award for my "Lily" painting at Catiri's "Fresh Paint" plein-air event in the Amana Colonies, September, 2014

Painting selected for “Quick-Paint” at Catiri's "Fresh Paint" plein-air event in the Amana Colonies, September, 2013

Best of Show at Catiri's "Fresh Paint" plein-air event in the Amana Colonies, September, 2012

Painting Selected for 1999 Courage Card Collection, Courage Cards, Minneapolis, MN

Best of Show, Iowa Artist’s State Show, 1997

First Place, Iowa Artist’s Regional Show, 1997

Desi Award, NY Graphics Society, 1984