May at Gallery 10: Water Media Artist Marleen Olive

Marleen Olive’s water media paintings are a mixture of abstract beginnings combined with realism to create a one-of-a-kind painting.

You are invited to come to see her unique paintings during the month of May at Gallery 10, 15 Eureka St., Sutter Creek.  A reception in Marleen’s honor will be held Saturday, May 7th from 2pm to 5 PM at the gallery.

Texture plays an important role in Marleen’s mixed media paintings.  Using different techniques to create textural abstract backgrounds is usually her starting point.  She starts with no idea what the painting will be. The shapes and designs are determined during the painting process.  She finds it exciting to start not knowing where the painting will go.  Sometimes there can be as many as 10 layers.  Along the way, the painting takes many twists and turns before the final image is revealed.  Marleen often adds a realistic image at the end, perhaps a bird, a butterfly, or a flower to create a center of interest.

Marleen also works in watercolor, usually painting flowers, especially in the spring.  She also enjoys painting landscapes.  She wants the viewer to feel the essence of her painting. She emphasizes highlights, shadow, and textures, three qualities she looks for in her subject matter.

Before moving to Amador County in 1999 Marleen was an art instructor for Southwestern Community College in Brookings, Oregon.  She currently teaches both Watercolor and Acrylic classes at the Amador Senior Center through Amador Arts.  Call Marleen at (971)-409-3972 for more information.