Fuente del Àngel Caìdo September 2019

Posted on October 29, 2019 by victoria A. Olson

If you come to Madrid, don’t miss out on seeing this impressive fountain.

This is the Fallen Angel Fountain. If you’ve ever read John Milton’s epic ‘Paradise Lost’ The first page comes to life when you see this awesome statue.

Watercolor of the Fallen Angel Fountain. There are red flowers around the fountain

Fuente del Angel Caìdo September 2019

I’ve painted parts of this fountain a few times, but this is the first time I painted the whole fountain.

A watercolor of poppies and daisies with little purple or violet flowers in a pickle jar.

Poppies and Daisies in Pickle Jar 2019

Posted on August 21, 2019 by victoria A. Olson

In the spring I like to paint the wild flowers since they are so colorful and my favorite painting theme.

A picture of a watercolor in process. You can see a light grid, pencil drawing and red watercolor paint of poppies.

I started off with a grid and a light drawing, then I started putting in the poppies.

Since I’m painting from life, I put in the poppies first before they wilt.

A watercolor of red poppies, daisies and a glass jar in the process of making.

The next step I take is painting all over the paper since all the shapes and colors influence each other.

Then I start putting in other flowers, not forgetting about the equally important background which includes the glass pickle jar.

Here I am almost finished. Just putting in the finishing touches. Not too many.

The watercolor is almost finished here. I paint what I see and leave a lot of the white of the paper.

Here it is finished. Poppies and Daisies in Pickle Jar 2019 Watercolor on Arches 300gsm 19×28 cm – 7.5×11 in

This year the wild flower season was brief. Less rain, less flowers…

Art stands in the fall in Madrid. People walking around looking at the art exhibition in the little plaza

La Plaza de Pintores – A Collective Painting Exhibition at the Auditorio Y Sala De Exposiciones Paco De Lucia / La Plaza de Pintores – Una exposición de pintura colectiva en el Auditorio y Sala de Exposiciones de Paco De Lucia

Posted on February 21, 2019 by victoria A. Olson

-There are 39 Painters at the Plaza-

Inauguration day at Sala Paco de Lucia.

-Hay 39 pintores en la Plaza-
Día de inauguración en la Sala Paco de Lucía.

Six women getting ready to celebrate a painting inauguration

A small group of painters just before the opening.

Oh another picture, more of us are here.

Painters from the Plaza posing for a picture

The Group started getting bigger

16 of the 39 painters presented a piece at the Sala. Hopefully next time they will all participate.

16 de los 39 pintores presentaron una pieza en la Sala. Esperemos que la próxima vez todos participen.

Here we are again.

That would be super fun.

Eso sería super divertido.

A few people in front of the camera saying hello

The Inauguration begins

I don’t have pictures of everybody or the other’s paintings.

No tengo fotos de todos ni de sus pinturas

Woman standing in front of her paintings

While Setting up

But these are the paintings I presented at the exhibition.

Pero estas son las pinturas que presento en la exposición.

Painters and Friends

You would have to come to the exhibition to see the rest of the pieces. Although here is a clip.

Tendrías que venir a la exposición para ver el resto de las piezas. Aunque aquí hay un corto.

Checking out the exhibition

The art work presented here is quite amazing.

El trabajo de arte presentado aquí es bastante sorprendente.

Sala Paco de Lucia

as amazing as my buddies at the Plaza.

Tan asombroso como mis amigos en la Plaza.

At the Plaza

The Art exhibition is up through the 27th of February.

La exposición de arte – solo hasta el 27 de febrero.

Plaza del Conde de Barajas Plaza de los Pintores. White tents with artwork from 39 artists

Plaza de los Pintores at Conde de Barajas Madrid Spain.

Posted on October 25, 2018 by victoria A. Olson

This is the Plaza del Conde de Barajas la Plaza de los Pintores. There are 39 artists who show their work every Sunday from 10-2. I have a little stand there too. As of October I have a permanent stand where I show my art too. I’m really happy about it.

: My stand at Plaza de los Pintores; Here is a snapshop of a friend and I at my little stand of watercolors.; Oil paintings, Prints and Watercolors

I’m really happy to have a little space to show my art whether it be watercolor, print or oil paintings.

Glass Bottles

I’m going to show some watercolors this Sunday. This watercolor is part of a series called My Favorite Bottles.

Click here on these Links below to see how to get to the Plaza de los Pintores.; From San Miguel Market and from Calle de los Cuchilleros.

Hope to see you there!

A lithograph of a woman sitting in front of a spider web

Plaza de los Pintores – Madrid

Posted on September 8, 2018 by victoria A. Olson

On Sunday September 9th, I’ll be at the Plaza de los Pintores. These are some of the pieces I’m going to show.

Lithograph print of a nude with his foot on his knee on a checked floor and light coming through the windows

Alexander Reclining 1992

Aracne 1992

A print of a red headed woman walking through the forest.

Canto I (88) She Wolf 1991

A print of a couple in a row boat with Lauralie near the boat

Lauralie 1992(2of5)

Watercolor of a girl looking in a mirror in a forest with a tall building in the back ground seen through the trees.

Reflection 2011

Print of a red head looking at the sea with a ship in the horizon

Circe Gazing at the Horizon 1990

A lithograph of A woman screaming with a tiger in the background

The Flight of Thisbe 1991

If you are in Madrid, drop by and see us at Plaza Conde de Barajas (Plaza de los Pintores). I’ll be there every Sunday in September from 10-2. Hope to see you there.

A large watercolor of a popular street in Madrid in Plaza del Conde de Barajas.

2º concurso de pintura rápida al aire libre Taller Abierto, en pleno Madrid de los Austrias En la Plaza del Conde de Barajas.

Posted on July 2, 2018 by victoria A. Olson

Now this is a rapid painting competition, in Plaza del Conde de Barajas also called Plaza de los Pintores in Madrid, Spain. I’ve always had my eye on this plaza.

Plaza del Conde de Barajas,

I’ve been doing line and wash lately so I thought I would try it here at the fast painting competition sponsored by Taller Abierto; really nice people by the way.

A photo of a woman painting a street in Madrid on site.

Line and Wash

After about three hours the light completely changed.

A woman standing next to an easel with the start of a watercolor.

The light creeping in.

And the sun started creeping in until I had to leave.

Woman standing in front of easel with started watercolor wearing watercolor gear, hat, scarf and long sleeve white shirt and tinted glasses.

2º concurso de pintura rápida al aire libre Taller Abierto

Here in Madrid the Sun is hot, really hot. You got to be careful and always try to stay in the shade to avoid heat related mishaps. You don’t want one of those.

Two people looking into the camera lense with a smile.

Emilio and I

This is Emilio, he took all the pictures. Thanks Emilio!

The next day I went back and finished the painting as best I could.

Plaza Del Conde de Barajas July 1st 2018

This watercolor is going to be in Semana de Arte en la Calle street exhibition at Plaza del Conde de Barajas every Sunday of July. 10-13:00. Come visit us if you are in Madrid this summer.

A small watercolor of the Almudena Cathedral. Blue sky with a bit of crimson. The Almudena has a huge evergreen growing in front of the gate. There are a few street lamps with the black latern from days of old. The view is from accross the street.

A small Watercolor of The Almudena Cathedral Madrid, Spain.

Posted on June 24, 2018 by victoria A. Olson

I like to start a watercolor with a light grid to keep my parallel lines parallel. I start with a pencil sketch and then go on to pen and ink.

A photo of a pen and ink drawing of the Almudena Cathedral taped down to the drawing board.

Pen & Ink La Almudena Cathedral

I tape down all of my watercolors to get the white edge of the paper. Don’t think you need anything expensive. I use carpenter’s tape, but it’s only there for a couple of hours. I wouldn’t leave it there for more than a day.

A small watercolor of the Almudena taped down to a drawing board. There is a big evergreen in front of the gate. The Almudena is seen from accross the street.

A small watercolor taped down to the drawing board.

This is the white edge I’m talking about. When the tape is taken off, you have a white border.

A small watercolor of the Almudena in my hand to see the size. You can see a thumb holding a corner of the watercolor. The watercolor is a line and wash of the Almudena Cathedral with a big evergreen in front of the main gate. You can also see some old time street gas lamps.

Small Watercolor of Almudena Cathedral June 24th 2018

Click Here is a really short video of the painting site.

Madrid is great!

A small line and wash watercolor of wild flowers in a yellow glass bottle.

Three Small Line & Wash Watercolors

Posted on June 16, 2018 by victoria A. Olson

In the spring, there are plenty of flowers to paint. This is a line & wash. First you draw with ink and then just lay a wash over the line leaving any white for light.

A small postcard size line and wash watercolor with a few wildflowers. An orange poppy in the foreground with a crimson flower on the right top corner and small violet flowers on the bottom right. Blue background

Wildflowers in Yellow Bottle with blue curtain 2016

Wildflowers in Yellow Bottle 2016

A small line and wash watercolor of wild flowers from a top view. It's a bit abstract. You can see a pink petal flower and part of a California poppy as well as the color blue and purple of other flowers.

Wildflowers in Yellow Bottle Top View 2016

These are very quick watercolors that I don’t have any more. I send them as postcards.

The Retiro Rose Garden, la Rosalera.

Posted on November 29, 2017 by victoria A. Olson

: The Dolphin Fountain at the Retiro Park in Madrid.; I just started this painting last weekend. I’m still working on it. I take photos of the process of painting to have a look at later…; The same fountain as above around five hours later.

I only paint with natural light. On Friday, Saturday and Sunday. I turn off all devises, disconnect for the weekend and paint all day.

Canto VII (67-96) Fortune in the fourth circle with the hoarders and the wasters 2017 Illustrating Epic Poetry.

Posted on October 7, 2017 by victoria A. Olson

Epic poetry is my favorite read, here in particular is Fortune in Canto VII, passing out chances, fate and the like. She’s mentioned in Inferno by Alighieri. I paint Fortune holding a wheel,
keeping in pace with modern atrocities such as the Pripyat Wasteland.
Remember the yellow ferris wheel that was never used because every single person in the city of Pripyat city had to run away as fast as they could leaving everything behind, and you would think…but, no, “they” keep making them.
: Canto VII The Wheel of Fortune with The Hoarders and the Wasters 2017; Canto VII Inferno by Dante Alighieri; This book reveals a lot of things about humanity. It’s called a comedy; Yeah, maybe their punishment is humorous. The hoarders rolling huge rocks and slamming them into the squanderers, shouting “Why do you waste?”, and they, in turn, shout “Why do you hoard?”; They are unrecognisable nudes covered in dark slime shouting with twisted angry faces. If the punishments suits the sin, could it be wasting time on meaningless activities?; Today there’s a new sets of hoarders and wasters. Where do they plan on keeping all the hoarded nuclear fuel rod waste and what are they going to do about the already wasted land; keep adding to it? I ask my self. There is a plan on how to let people living in the far future know that the stuff that’s burried deep below is not valuable like a treasure to dig up; but, an invisible killer. Our society finds things they’ve dug up every day, so why wouldn’t our distant future dig things up to find out about pre-existing societies like we do? Could it be that “they” don’t care because they won’t be here.