Garage Roses Art Studio

Hey there! 😊 I’m Olivia and I’m a self-taught painter and palette knife pro!

I love to sculpt, and I love to paint, and I found a way to mash them both together! I begin with a heavy bodied acrylic base and often build up my work with things like sand, joint compound and paper pulp. I use a collection of paint knives and brushes and layer in the paint little by little as I work- shaping thoughts into things and creating vibrant happy beautiful artwork you can look at and touch, and that hopefully touches you.

I also LOVE to repurpose my studio supplies! Instead of throwing away my old brushes, caps and paint rags, miscellaneous found items or paint skins from my palette- I keep them all and just love being able to give them new life, incorporating them into my paintings. Curious about that? Just take a look at some of my available pieces and see if you can find a few brushes tucked into flower stems, or old rags that now dance across happy blue skies….

My family comes from a long line of demolition and salvage, so it probably comes naturally to me to want to find, restore and paint vintage items like old stop signs, antique fans, rusted milk tins and rail spikes or even window panes. I find these floral accents spark imagination and encourage conversation. And who doesn’t want that??

Much of my work is a vibrant collection of happy textured florals with a smattering of lush llama filled landscapes, sultry summer fruits, the occasional grumpy cat, bubbly little bumble bees and a few fancy pink flamingoes! I am open to just about any new subject or challenge, so don’t be shy if you have something in mind.

I’ve always known that I was an artist. I remember my first finger painting at five years old, drawing horses, pyramids and camels with my mom, a long neck dinosaur in third grade and a tiny oil painting of a wizard when I was sixteen that NEVER DRIED!! I have explored sketching, and splash painting, abstractions, and resin pouring, alcohol inks and watercolors, sculpting and pottery and even tried to whittle once upon a time. One ‘whittle’ guitar and I was all set there. Lol

Art has always been my companion. A way for me to authentically express myself- a form of active meditation and daily practice. It has been healing and nourishing to my soul in so many ways.

In December of 2019 I finally decided to stop treating my art like a hobby and give it the light, love and faith it needed and deserved. I took my work public and I felt so vulnerable, cautiously optimistic and a bit like an impostor. I wasn’t sure how I would be received or if my art would even sell. What I did know was that I’d have to really give it my all -fearlessly, relentlessly, tenaciously and with all my heart if what I really wanted was to be an artist.

I started with an Instagram page, a website, local markets and shows, and now I’m live painting, teaching classes, selling my art to people who love it as much as I do and part of a wonderful artistic community full of likeminded, thoughtful, kind and creative people.

Forever thankful, and so dang excited to be here now with all of you,