Artist Statement

My work is a journey of ideas, dreams, and the byproduct of the skills that i have learned. As a self taught artist, I may not always have the answer for the question. If I need light to look certain way in a painting, I have to find the way to make it happen. 
My work consists of portraits, pets, animals, landscapes and still life.  I have always painted but in the last five years I have focused on improving by painting everyday. I started with acrylic and after a full year, I focused on only oil paint. This is where the rubber met the pavement.
My passion for painting and learning the ways of it have taken over my life. Each painting is a learning experience. It will be a life long endeavor.  It is an obsession, a compulsion that is not just an enjoyable hobby. 

Artist Bio

Heather Thomas Olson is an American oil painter who lives in Western North Dakota and paints full time in her home studio.  
Heather graduated in 2010 from Dakota College at Bottineau for floral design and horticulture. Although Heather had been a painter and creative her entire life, she has become a disciplined daily painter since 2019. As a self taught artist, she painted daily for an entire year in acrylics. Focusing on her skills, she then switched to oils. Her work in on a broad spectrum of realism and surrealism that include portraiture, plants, animals, still life and landscape. She toes the line between traditional and experimental techniques. She draws her inspiration from the alternative-the Avante Garde, Peewee Herman, gothic and weird pop art, low art and outsider art. She’s also influenced by Sargent, Sorolla, Flemish and Dutch painters, and Bouguereau.
Heather has been a full member at Bismarck Downtown Artist Cooperative since 2015. She has had several shows at BDAC over the years. Her shows were in December of 2017, August of 2020, and August of 2023. Her most recent show was at BAGA June of 2024. 
She won first place the intermediate category in Trekell’s Pet Portrait contest in 2022 judged by Kai Lun Qu. She also received an honorable mention in the advanced category in 2023 judged by Andrew Cadima.

Touring Schedule

2025
Lake Region Heritage Center
August 1-31
James Memorial Art Center
October 6-31
2026
MonDak Heritage Center
January 5-March 28