Olympia McEwan
“It’s not what you look at, it’s what you see.” Henry David Thoreau
From a very early age, I have loved to draw people. I was a dreamy child, quite introverted and shy. I was never happier than when I was in my own room, listening to the radio and losing myself in my art and my imagination. Not much has changed!
Observing and painting people, is a subject matter I can never tire of. For 15 years I have concentrated the majority of my artistic practise to the study of portrait painting. In 2003 I was a full-time Art teacher and entered the JJ Fox Open Art Exhibition. To my delight my “Self-portrait in blue” was shortlisted. The following year I had a solo show, at St James Concert Hall. I exhibited several large colourful still life paintings, inspired by Moroccan geometric pattern and textiles. Alongside these paintings, I showed a portrait painting of my then boyfriend (now husband) sitting in my yellow chair, as well as a portrait of the local award winning architect, Andrew Dyke. These portrait paintings created quite a stir and my sole concern since then has been, and continues to be, portrait painting.