The work of two local artists, Aaron Hatch and Jen Olson, blend in a shared storytelling of the human condition, in the “Realism and Abstraction” art exhibition currently featured at Northland Pioneer College’s (NPC) Talon Art Gallery.
Although unique in the artistic methods they use, and in their preferred canvases, Hatch and Olson’s creative journey comes together to portray a shared desire to capture what it means to be alive.
For Hatch, who works primarily with acrylic and mixed media, his large-scale paintings allow him to create and express ideas and feelings that can only be expressed abstractly. “I like to create art that takes more than a passing glance to see,” he said. “I like to create art that does more than decorate, but that tells a story.” In Hatch’s expressive landscapes and portraits, common themes include loneliness, memory, individualism, relationships, and self-expression. “My paintings aren’t a faithful recreation of life. They are not snapshots of memories or vistas.” He explained, “My art attempts to express the experiences and emotions of life.” A native of Arizona, Hatch is self-taught and finds inspiration in music, architecture, abstract expressionism, the southwest, classic literature, and vintage photography. Hatch’s work can be viewed on Instagram @aaron.hatch.art.
Jen Olson grew up surrounded by creativity and fine art. Raised in a family of musicians, artists, and writers, Olson developed a deep passion for all things creative. Olson holds a bachelor’s degree in fine art and is a gifted singer. She worked as an accomplished professional choir director for many years. She is also a self-taught artist and has drawn on the experience of becoming a mother for inspiration. “Catching small moments between baby tending and toddler wrangling, painting began as a simple way to grab precious “me-time,” she explained. For Olson, her art grew into a way to explore the roles, identities, expectations, and realities of being a modern woman and mother. Her art tells a story of womanhood. “My goal is to acknowledge the hidden value of women on their terms with color, water, and light,” she said. “At the root of all my work, is a deep desire to shine a light on all things feminine; mother earth included “I love to capture the honest beauty of motherhood, one that is complex and visceral, blissfully sweet, yet at times overwhelming, mundane, or darkly painful.” She explained, “I enjoy painting women who bypass culturally fabricated shame and oversized purity culture to own their sexuality, taking it away from those who commercialize or abuse it, and giving it back to the women from whom it came in the first place.” Olson works primarily with watercolor and creates custom portraits and figure paintings for women from all over the world. She has received placements and accolades in several juried art competitions. View more of Olson’s work on Instagram @jenolson.art or her website: www.jenolsonartwork.com.
The Realism and Abstraction art exhibition can be viewed at the Talon Gallery located on NPC’s Show Low (White Mountain) campus through March 24, 2024. The gallery is open to the public Monday through Thursday, from 7:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m., and on Fridays, from 7:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. The gallery will be closed during NPC’s spring break from March 11 – 15.
Hatch and Olson will also give artist talks during a free public reception at the Talon Gallery on Friday, March 1 from 7:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. Everyone is invited to come speak to the artists about their work.
For more information, visit www.npc.edu/talon-art-gallery or contact Gallery Director and NPC Art Faculty Magda Gluszek at magda.gluszek@npc.edu.
