The art of sculpture is to take something considered to be useless or broken and give it a new life and a chance to be a part of something bigger than it ever was. I take an inanimate congregation of objects and put them together in a way that gives them an actual presence that you can feel and touch. Not only can you touch these inanimate objects but they can touch you back. They visually speak to you, invoking real emotions. When this almost unexplainable connection is happening, the material thought to be useless or broken comes to life. That connection between you and my creations and the emotions that take place gives me much excitement and drives me to create with great passion.
To make an inanimate object touch, feel and speak is a gift that has been given to me. This gift has turned me into a pioneer of sorts, who dredges through industries pollution on a quest for steel. I find myself climbing amongst the ruble of a recently demolished high rise, and digging in the garbage for fragments of a recent fabrication, or in a junk yard dragging off parts of an old dinosaur that time has forgotten. I believe in things discarded lies the seeds of infinite possibilities. My mind is constantly studying and categorizing all the objects that I am collecting. I visualize the objects floating in the air waiting for their chance to twist and dive into the sculptures not yet born, that constantly swim in my mind. As I clean the earth, all the objects I collect will be recycled and no longer destined to be trapped for eternity in a landfill forever labeled as garbage. I also firmly believe it is my duty as an artist to create art with archival longevity and superior quality as I single handily sculpt the future of the twenty first century.
Thank you for reading my statement.
James Oleson, Jr. |
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James Oleson, Jr.
Post Office Box 1293
Brooksville, FL 34605
(352) 346-8619
olesonart@gmail.com
Education
National Education Center, Tampa, FL, A.S. Degree in Commercial Art
Painting & Color Theory, Judi Dazzio
Teaching Experience
Industrial Arts Center, Gulfport, FL, Metal Sculpture Instructor
Morean Art Center, St. Petersburg, FL, Metal Sculpture and Caricature Instructor
Great American Teach In, St. Petersburg, Fl 2009
Galleries
R. Roberts Gallery, Jacksonville, FL
Dazzio Gallery, St. Petersburg, FL
Hibrow Art Gallery, Dade City, FL
Exhibitions
“Loveland Sculpture Invitational”, Loveland, CO 2009
“Platform Florida”, Ecovision, Lakeland, FL 2009
“Arts in Autumn”, Museum of Florida Art, Deland, FL 2008
“Kissimmee Sculpture Experience”, Outdoor Sculpture Competition, Kissimmee, FL 2008
“Art Loud”, Outdoor Sculpture Competition, Tampa, FL 2008
“Midsummer Night’s Dream…A Timeless Art Gala”, Haines City, FL 2008
“Nude Nite”, Orlando, FL 2008
Permanent installation of “Leopard” Hernando High School, Brooksville, FL 2008
“Sculpture Walk Winfield”, Outdoor Sculpture Competition, Winfield, KS 2008
“Epcot International Flower and Garden Festival”, Disney Sculpture Garden, Orlando, FL 2008
“Platform Florida”, Almost Strictly Blues, Lakeland, FL 2008
“Kissimmee Sculpture Experience”, Outdoor Sculpture Competition, Kissimmee, FL 2007
“Polk Outdoor Sculpture Competition”, City of Lakeland, Lakeland, FL 2007
“Art After Dark - Japan”, Tampa Museum of Art, Tampa, FL. 2006
“By Land By Sea By Air”, Sculpture Key West, Key West, FL 2006
“Art After Dark - Multicultural”, Tampa Museum of Art, Tampa, FL 2006
“Architectural Designs” , Hosted by Ken Kroger, Tampa, FL 2006
“Summertime Fun”, Mirta’s Gallery, Tampa, FL 2006
“Equus”, The Deland Museum of Art, Deland, FL 2005
“Metaphor”, Mount Dora Art Center, Mt. Dora, FL 2005
“Body of Work, Anatomy of an Artist”, A. E. “Bean” Backus Museum, Ft. Pierce, FL 2005
Awards & Honors
Lake Wales Art Show, Award of Distinction, Lake Wales , FL 2010
Platform Florida, Ecovision, Sponsor Award, Lakeland,FL 2009
Art Loud Sculpture Competition, Red Ribbon Award, Tampa, FL 2009
Space Coast, Award of Merit, Daytona Beach, FL 2008
Port Orange Artfest, First Place Sculpture, Port Orange, FL 2008
Beaux Arts, Award of Excellence, Coral Gables, FL 2008
Mount Dora Arts, Award of Excellence, Mount Dora, FL 2008
Central Park Art Festival, Award of Excellence, Winter Haven, FL 2008
Ridge Art Association Annual Fine Art Competition, Award of Merit, Winter Haven, 2008
Leesburg Art Festival, Award of Distinction, Leesburg FL 2008
Kissimmee Sculpture Experience, Best of Show and Kids Choice Award, Kissimmee FL 2007
Polk Outdoor Sculpture Competition , City of Lakeland, Peoples Choice Award, Lakeland 2007
Fine Arts of Ocala, Best of Show, Ocala, FL 2007
Riverside-Avondale Preservation, Best of Show, Jacksonville, FL 2007
Leesburg Art Festival, Award of Excellence, Leesburg, FL 2007
Ridge Art Association Annual Fine Art Competition, Carolyn Eyves Award, Winter Haven, 2007
Riverside-Avondale Preservation, Award of Excellence, Sculpture, Jacksonville, FL 2006
Ocala Art Festival, Award of Honor, Sculpture, Ocala, FL 2006
Leesburg Fine Art Festival, Best of Show, Sculpture, Leesburg, FL 2006
Black & White Show, Award of Excellence, Sculpture, Winter Haven, FL 2005
Maitland Rotary Arts Festival, Best of Show, Sculpture, Maitland, FL 2005
Port Orange Art Festival, First Place, Sculpture, Port Orange, FL 2005 |
