A personal biography of Jon Olson Many interests, many kinds of paintings

After a 30 year academic career in Anthropology, I took early retirement so I could pursue a career in fine art.  I am primarily self-trained (over the past 60 years or so) and am currently a signature member of the American Society of Marine Artists (ASMA) and an active member of the California Art Club.  My primary work continues to focus on maritime-historical subjects, particularly on the West Coast where I live, and on the Great Lakes where I was raised.  I regularly participate in the annual Maritime Art Exhibit at Coos Bay, Oregon and have been accepted numerous times to the Mystic Seaport International Maritime Exhibit.  Many of my works are in private collections and I am especially proud of a first place in oils and acryllics in the 2005 International show of the Washington, DC Society of Miniature Artists, Sculptors and Gravers.
I believe, perhaps from my background in Anthropology, that artists who can work in more than one style or medium, are like people who can express themselves in more than one language;  that an artistic style should be appropriate to the subject and mood, and that the relationship between style and subject should be very flexible.  Hence, my work ranges greatly from historically accurate, relatively "tight" paintings associated with marine, southwest and aviation subjects and extremely detailed miniatures to impressionistic plein air works.  For example, we just returned from a 12,500 mile roadtrip to the Canadian Maritimes resulting in a few dozen on-site plein air paintings and will result into numerous more detailed studio paintings of maritime subjects. 
This website gives you a sampling of my approaches and styles, and I hope that you find something of interest to you here.  I like to talk about my work and art in general so I welcome your responses.  Enjoy!