Westcoast images

With our love to travel, I often forget just how spectacular our home is!  We live in one of the most beautiful areas of the world, where the waters range from turquoise to cobalt and cerulean.  Our beaches can be blanketed in alabaster sands, like on Hornby Island or textured with an array of pebbles and silvered logs like around North Saanich, or even encrusted in jagged ebony black formations like around Tofino!  Our scenery is so unique I have dozens of wonderful photographs which inspire me to pull out my dye and wax.  I love the mesmerizing movement of Westcoast water... foaming crests repeatedly driving into the shoals.  Periodically waves reveal translucent sea-green glimmers before diving back to their Prussian blue depths!  Our crystal clear water gives glimpses of starfish and crabs... even rocks lying just beneath the surface draw me to paint.  So, although I love to paint from my travels abroad, I especially love to paint my breathtaking island home!

*  click on smaller images to enlarge
*  sizes are of the artwork with out frame.  Add 3" per side for frame.

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"Tidal Wonderland - Botanical Beach"
20.5" x 30.5"
SOLD
Sooke Fine Arts Show, 2023

"Craggy Cove - Ucluelet"
 52" x 15.5"
SOLD

"Pacific Playland"
 35.5" x 17"
SOLD
Sooke Fine Arts Show, 2023

"The Golden Hour"
45" x 17"
SOLD

"Tidal Seaglass"
24" x 24"
SOLD
Abbotsford Art Gallery

"Warmth of the Afternoon"
45.5" x 15.5"
SOLD
Two Person Show  "A Chance Glance" 2021 -  ArtSea Gallery

"Iron Mine Bay"
44" x 18"
SOLD
Two Person Show  "A Chance Glance"  2021 -  ArtSea Gallery

"Silvered Driftwood"
12" x 33"
SOLD
Abbotsford Art Gallery

"Tidal Kaleidoscope"
11" x 25"
$1434 (framed)
Available through Artist

"Wickaninnish"
50" x 18.5"
SOLD

"Schooner Cove"
44" x 16.5"
SOLD
Abbotsford Art Gallery

"Waltz of the Waves"
34.5"  x  21"
SOLD
Two Person Show  "A Chance Glance" 2021 - ArtSea Gallery

"Shimmer at Twilight"
18.5"  x  30"
SOLD

"Pintail in Flight"
 24.5" x 12" 
photograph by Chris Leach
SOLD
 Abbotsford Art Gallery

"East Coast Sentinel"
12" x  24.5"
photograph by Antone
$1530 (framed)
Available through Artist

"Pinch of Saffron"
24" x 24"
photograph by my Dad (Bob Olafson)
SOLD
Sidney Fine Art Show, 2019

 "Reach Over Salish Sea"
photograph by my Dad (Bob Olafson)
  16.5"  x   39"
SOLD
"Travels Through Batik" 2019  -  ARTSEA Gallery

"Haida Grizzly Bear"
  25"  x   12"
SOLD
"Travels Through Batik" 2019 - ARTSEA Gallery

Haida Grizzly Bear: 
Detail from a Haida House Frontal Pole carved in 1984 by Gerry Marks, Richard Hunt and Tim Paul.  Standing in Thunderbird Park at Victoria’s provincial museum, the pole depicts several creatures including this grizzly and two human-like cubs.  It is thought that these figures illustrate the Bear Mother story about a woman who marries a bear and gives birth to half-human, half bear children.  The pole is a replica of an original pole, circa 1878, that stood in front of a house called Rock Slide House, in Cumshewa, on Haida Gwaii.

"Haida Sea Bear"
  25"  x   12"
SOLD
"Travels Through Batik" 2019 -  ARTSEA Gallery

Haida Sea Bear:
Detail from a Haida House Pole carved in 1966 by Henry and Tony Hunt.  Standing in Thunderbird Park at Victoria’s provincial museum, this pole depicts Sea Bear with his Killer Whale head facing downward.  He also has Bear ears with small animals peaking out.   The flippers of a sea mammal stick out the sides of his mouth as he swallows. 

"Sail Past - Prevost Island"
  19.5"  x   46.5"
SOLD
Sidney Fine Art Show, 2018
Runner-up to 2018 People's Choice Award!

"Botanical Eagle"
31" x 16"
SOLD
Abbotsford Art Gallery

"Secluded Cove - Saanich Inlet"
30" x 18"
SOLD
Sidney Fine Art Show, 2018

"In the Garry Oak Shadows - Saanich Inlet"
24" x 24"
SOLD
Abbotsford Art Gallery
Included in the International Juried Exhibition: Painting on the Edge (POTE) 2015

  "Solitude - Longbeach"
   16" x   44"
SOLD
Sidney Fine Art Show, 2017
2017 PEOPLE'S CHOICE AWARD

"Moments Beneath the Arbutus"
17" x 44"
SOLD

"Seal Rock -  Saanich Inlet"
24" x 24"
SOLD
Sidney Fine Art Show, 2017

"Cultus Giants"
21.5" x 37.5"
SOLD
Abbotsford Art Gallery

"Tranquil Shores"
16" x 42"
SOLD

"Heavy Boughs - Silverwood"
20" x 35"
photograph by Terry Pearson
SOLD

"Drifting Shadows"
15.5" x 27.5"
photograph by Chris Leach
SOLD
"Travels Through Batik" 2019 - ARTSEA Gallery

   "Summer Shadows - Saanich Inlet"
   15" x   55"
SOLD
Sidney Fine Art Show, 2015
MAJOR AWARD:  Colin Graham Award for Innovative Work
AND
2015 PEOPLE'S CHOICE AWARD

  "Quiet Spot in the Inlet"
18" x 30"
SOLD

  "Seaside Passage"
    17" x 30"
SOLD
Sidney Fine Art Show, 2016

   "The Cerulean Surf - French Beach"
   16" x   46"
photograph by Thom Light
SOLD
Abbotsford Art Gallery

"Reflections in Sasquatch Park"
   17" x  30"
SOLD
Abbotsford Art Gallery

"Cultus Afternoon"
17.5" x 31"
SOLD
Abbotsford Art Gallery

 "Sentinel - Long Beach"
   17" x  43"
SOLD

In memory of my wonderful brother, Rod,    
 who loved spending time at Long Beach with his family     
(Sept 1964 - Nov 2015)      

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 "San Josef Beach - Cape Scott"
   21" x  27"
photograph by Greg Schlitt
SOLD
Abbotsford Art Gallery

"Morning in Ardmore"
13" x 16"
photograph by my Dad, Bob Olafson
SOLD
                                            

  "Botanical Beach"
    20" x 33.5"
SOLD
Sidney  Fine Art Show, 2013

"Clear Water - Saanich Inlet"
19.5" x 30.5"
SOLD
Sidney Fine Art Show, 2014

"Heron Botanical Beach"
35.5" x 22"
SOLD
Sidney Fine Art Show, 2015

"East Sooke"
34" x 25.5"
SOLD
Abbotsford Art Gallery