Check out Greta Olivas’s Artwork

Today we’d like to introduce you to Greta Olivas.

Greta, we’d love to hear your story and how you got to where you are today both personally and as an artist.
I was born in New York City to artistic parents. They were both ballet dancers. I was always drawing since I was very young. My mother died when I was 5 and since my dad traveled a lot my sister & I went to live with my grandmother in Buenos Aires, Argentina. We lived there 7 years and returned to live with my Dad in Texas. After high school… life happened. Got married, had kids, and always planned on going to school to become an artist but school never happened. One day I met an artist at a party and shared with him my dream to be an artist.

He said that if I wanted to be an artist I just had to do it! So, I enrolled in a painting class, read every book I could find about art and started painting. About 7 years ago I took a week-long abstract painting workshop and after that I decided to take painting seriously. Since then I have developed a style that is my own and recently I quit my “day job” to be an artist full time.

We’d love to hear more about your art. What do you do you do and why and what do you hope others will take away from your work?
My work is full of color, which is usually the first thing people are drawn to. As the paintings are examined more closely their energy draws the viewer in. I believe my work is energy, or emotions that come through and end up on the canvas. They may seem like celestial bodies, but to me, they are a bigger understanding of the universe and our place within it. I have always been drawn to abstract work and the power it has. When someone states they ‘felt’ one of my paintings, or it provokes emotion in someone, I know I was successful in transmitting energy through the painting.

When I create my art, my paint is very fluid, which is a good lesson on giving up control or allowing the process to happen. The paint moves on its own almost as if it’s painting itself, but we all know that’s impossible, which is where the artist comes in. What I am talking about is flow and that is how my paintings develop, like something just opens up and before I know it I have several paintings going at once. Sometimes I wonder if my personal growth helps me create my art, or if my art helps me with my personal growth.

Do current events, local or global, affect your work and what you are focused on?
Since my art is about emotions and energy, what I hope to accomplish is that I reach the viewer at an energetic level. The titles of my pieces are an introduction to the viewer, and I hope as they study the painting it challenges them to feel their response. I think a lot of times artists are the ones that provoke a change of thought. Artists tend to see a bigger picture of the world and I think our art is our way to share that. I feel that there are a lot of people searching to understand ‘life’ right now. There are lots of people studying yoga, meditation, etc. and I have been invited to participate in a few shows that touched on the new age/wellness perspective, which I think my work fits well with that.

Do you have any events or exhibitions coming up? Where would one go to see more of your work? How can people support you and your artwork?
I usually have several shows and exhibits throughout the year. The best way to find where to see my work is to get on my email list. You can access it through my website. You can also follow me on Facebook and Instagram. I like to post while I am in the process of creating and finished paintings. Plus, you get to know a little bit of the ‘real me’.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://gretaolivas.com/
• Email: gretaolivas@gmail.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/gretaolivas/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/GretaOlivasArtPhotography
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/golivas
• Other: http://blog.gretaolivas.com/

Image Credit:
Photos all by me. The exhibit shown is at the Georgetown Arts Center.

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