Art is Where the Heart is: Home as Gallery

Dan Cram Olsen

Published June 2010 Dan Cram Olsen & John Lamond Olsen Mesa, Arizona, United States of America

Art is Where the Heart is: Home as Gallery

Dan Cram Olsen Personal Statement

“We all know that Art is not truth. Art is a lie that makes us realize the truth…” Pablo Picasso, 1923

Art, though not the truth, is a form of parable that like all parables can teach us about truth through the simple, the pure, the honest and the common things, both spiri-tual and temporal: “straight from the heart.” I try and create this parable quality with simple common materials that are: Hon-est, Pure, Raw, Used, have a history, Weathered, Fun, Human, etc. I then try and use these mediums to share the interests of my heart. Some of these subjects are: The multiplicity of our being: The Soul = Body + Spirit, the layers of our lives (identities, re-lationships, memberships, loves, and responsibilities), the Individual, Joy and Pain, to list a few. I have followed several directions, used several approaches to express these ideas. For example: The transparent Masks/Faces of my Imaginary Portraits, which use the Mask as honest expression rather then as dishonest façade. The Assemblage, or collection of things old, raw, used, honest that are manipulated, collaged together and designed to express these subjects and concepts. I have a love affair with the fluid and gestured line, both drawn and painted. To this must be added my affinity to the power of Colour, which can magnify and alter the messages and expressions of the Art Parable.

The spirit of exploring and experimenting, plumbing the depths of process both old and new and holding to my sense of humour and a sense of wonder keep a fresh, honest connection between my heart and my work.

I want the viewer of my personal parables to learn to see and feel the spirit of

each work that they become aware of their own connections to the world and the spirit around us.

June 2010

Exhibit Work

" ... he that cometh after me ... " Matt 3:11

2010 acrylic on card

Shadows of Abraham 2010 Gouache, Acrylic on paper

“...but for myself, to me he doth not stink …” Alma 19:15

2010 black gesso, acrylic, plaster on canvas

Mensch! 2010

assemblage: Cloth, tissue, found object, sculpt, paper, epoxy resin on board!

...of sober mind! 2005 acrylic on paper

The Happy Man's Shirt

A king had an only son that he thought the world of. But this prince was always unhappy. He would ·spend days on end at his window staring into space. "What on earth do you lack?" asked the king. "What's wrong with you?" "I don't even know myself, Father." "Are you in love? If there's a particular girl you fancy, tell me, and I'll arrange for you to marry her, no matter whether she's the daughter of the most powerful king on earth or the poorest peasant girl alive!" "No, Father, I'm not in love." The king tried in every way imaginable to cheer him up, but theaters, balls, con-certs, and singing were all useless, and day by day the rosy hue drained from the prince's face. The king issued a decree, and from every corner of the earth carne the most learned philosophers, doctors, and professors. The king showed them the prince and asked for their advice. The wise men withdrew to think, then re-turned to the king. "Majesty, we have

given the matter close thought and we have studied the stars. Here's what you must do. Look for a happy man, a man who's happy through and through, and exchange your son's shirt for his." That same day the king sent ambassadors to all parts of the world in search of the happy man. A priest was taken to the king. "Are you happy?" asked the king. "Yes, indeed, Ma jesty." "Fine. How would you like to be my bishop?" "Oh, Majesty, if only it were so!" "Away with you! Get out of my sight! I'm seeking a man who's happy just as he is, not one who's trying to better his lot." Thus the search resumed, and before long the king was told about a neighboring king, who everybody said was a truly happy man. He had a wife as good as she was beautiful and a whole slew of children. He had conquered all his enemies, and his country was at peace. Again hopeful, the king immediately sent ambassadors to him to ask for his shirt. The neighboring king received the ambassadors and said, "Yes, indeed, I have everything anybody could possibly want. But at the same time I worry because I'll have to die one day and leave it all. I can't sleep at night for worrying about that!" The ambassadors thought it wiser to go home without this man's shirt. At his wit's end, the king went hunting. He fired at a hare but only wounded it, and the hare scampered away on three legs. The king pursued it, leaving the hunting party far behind him. Out in the open field he heard a man singing a refrain. The king stopped in his tracks. "Whoever sings like that is bound to be happy!" The song led him into a vineyard, where he found a young man singing and pruning the vines. "Good day, Majesty," said the youth. "So early and already out in the country?" "Bless you! Would you like me to take you to the capital? You will be my friend." "Much obliged, Majesty, but I wouldn't even consider it. I wouldn't even change places with the Pope." "Why not? Such a fine young man like you . .. " "No, no, I tell you. I'm content with just what I have and want nothing more." "A happy man at last!" thought the king. "Listen, young man. Do me a favor. " "With all my heart, Majesty, if I can." "Wait just a min-ute," said the king, who, unable to contain his joy any longer, ran to get his retinue. "Come with me! My son is saved! My son is saved!" And he took them to the young man. "My dear lad," he began, I’ll give you whatever you want! But give me ... give me ... " "What, Majesty?" "My son is dying! Only you can save him. Come here!" The king grabbed him and started unbutton-ing the youth's jacket. All of a sudden he stopped, and his arms fell to his sides. The happy man wore no shirt. (Friuli) As told by Halo Calvino

The Happy Man's Shirt 2010

Triptych: 1. found objects, cloth, epoxy resin, tissue, acrylic on board

2. acrylic, tissue, newspaper, coloured pencil, graphite on canvas 3. black gesso, plaster, acrylic on board

Head 2009

found objects, dirt, sculpt, on card board and Canvas

Detail

The Greeting 2010

soluble graphite on paper

Justa Jester? 2009 opaque watercolour, acrylic on paper

Insons Insontis 2010

assemblage: paper, opaque watecolours, cardboard, cloth, tissue on card

Tactile Hope 2010

collage: gesso, acrylic, newspaper, burlap on board

Boy to Man 2002

collage: opaque watercolour, paper, gesso on card

MASKS

1. plaster 1998

2. chicken wire, cloth, sequins, jute, plaster gauze 2008

3. plaster 1998

Unnamed Imp 2003

monoprint

Meloncholia Spain 2002 collage

Inside the Outside Box 2004

assemblage: scratchboard, tissue, opaque watercolour, plaster, acrylic, particle board on board

Hallelujah 2007 oil pastel on neoprine

Untitled 2007

oil pastel on neoprene

Gouache Series: Geometric Spectators (3) 2010

gouache on paper

Tribal Connections 2010

oil pastel on neoprine

Subconscious Marks 2010

oil pastel on neoprene

Untitled 2010

oil pastel on neoprene

Untitled 2010 oil pastel on neoprene

Graphite Painting Whose Name I Forgot 2004 graphite, acrylic retarding medium, gold leaf on paper

The General 2000 acrylic on paper

Baseball Guy 2 2010

pastel pencil, collage on paper

Untitled 2010

pastel pencil, collage on paper

Hey, Look at That One 2010

pastel pencil on paper

Self-Portrait with Musical Instrument 2007 assemblage: cloth, tissue, epoxy resin, opaque watercolour, wire, found objects, hardboard on card.

The Philosophies of Men 2006 - 2009

assemblage: coloured pencil, opaque watercolour, sculpty, gold leaf, wood, card

Grief: Cancer 2006

Sculpture: plaster gauze and found object View 1

Grief: Cancer 2006 Sculpture: plaster gauze and found object View 2

Gracia Diptych: Sunshine en el Monte el Sion 2009 - 2010 acrylic, tissue, newspaper on canvas

“Sunrise Arrival in Goteborg” 1998 photograph by Roland Kuebitz

“Place du Mond essai” date unknown

etching by Thea Arnold

“Mr. Olsen” 2004

ink sketch by Thea Arnold

The Shell Eater 2006

oil, coloured pencil on canvas

Passage d'Ange huile sur Bois 1994

oil on canvas by Maria-Sophie Andre from the estate of Jack Broser

“Danny with Cowboy Hat” by Fay Cram Olsen 1955 pastels on paper

Les Dames de Bruxelles 2007

photographic triptych

“Flag” by Carly Fay Hampton

1999 or 2000 cloth and button construct

Home as Gallery Virtual Tour

Art is Where the Heart is: Home as Gallery

Dan Cram Olsen