Jeffrey Olsen Field

Biography

Originally from Princeton, New Jersey, I migrated westward after high school stopping for many years in St. Louis, Missouri before heading on to San Diego, California, my home since 1997. I hold a Masters of Architecture from Washington University in St. Louis and practiced architecture in Missouri and California until 2006. My wife and I enjoy running, cycling, hiking, sailing- a great range of outdoor activities.

Artist Statement

These days I work with traditional kaolin (Clay) based soft pastel on sanded papers. These have a vibrancy and immediacy that I enjoy. I work both in plein air and in studio from photographs taken on my travels. Painting in pastel, I filter the image from life or photograph to bring my particular experience and sense of the place to the finished work.

Art Education

At Washington University in St. Louis, while pursuing my architecture degree I took a number of courses at the Art School next door including life drawing, printmaking and oil painting. As an old school architect, I have many more years with pencil and brush than I do with computer aided design drawing.

Awards

Since 2006 I have had more than 12 pieces juried into the Regional and One Foot shows at the San Diego Art Institute. I have a third prize from the 2008 Southwest Artists Association 7th Annual One Foot Show and a third prize from the 2008 Plein Air Painting Competition at the San Diego County Fair in Del-Mar. In 2010 I was awarde honorable mention at the Art in the Pines Plein Air Painting Competition at Torrey Pines State Reserve.