Biography
Abby Olsen is a fine artist whose drawings and paintings honor naturalist motifs and imagery through repetition and thoughtful color palettes.
She graduated from the University of Michigan’s Stamps School of Art & Design with a bachelor’s of fine arts. Her illustrative work and pattern designs for Bond & Grace publishing are featured in the Secret Garden Art Novel, the Alice in Wonderland Art Novel which won a 2025 Merit Honor award from the Art Director’s Club in New York City, and the Frankenstein Art Novel which won the 2024 Independent Publisher Book Award for Outstanding Design.
Currently based in Austin, Texas, she is working on an upcoming collection of drawings and paintings showcasing the flora and fauna of the northern woods of Michigan, where she grew up.
About Me
jack of all trades, master of some
My artistic practice expresses my reverence for nature through color and mark-making in drawings and paintings. Deliberate repetition and ornamental elements of my work are inspired by embroidery, textiles, and other decorative arts that have been practiced predominantly by women for centuries. My art highlights these motifs and imagery and pays homage to these (often overlooked) contributions to art and design history.
My tendency toward experimentation and chagrin for monotony makes my body of work, much like nature, ever changing and diverse. Though eclectic and unserious, my art shows mastery of several traditional artistic disciplines; among them are gouache and oil painting, drawing, and color theory.
Since graduating from the University of Michigan Stamps School of Art & Design, I have been able to illustrate and design bespoke patterns for three Art Novels with Bond & Grace, a women owned publishing company.
In addition to illustrating, I have worked as an interior designer and a private studio art teacher.
Background
I’m a native Michigander and grew up on the shores of Lake Michigan, always outside in our overgrown backyard climbing our mulberry tree or at the beach swimming. The bigger the waves the better.
While away at U of M, in addition to art school I pursued my love of music extracurricularly- I was in the marching band as a piccolo player, & sang in and music directed an a cappella group.
These days, my down time consists of hanging out with my beloved cat Bailey, dog Gemma and partner Joey, thrifting, watching reality TV, and singing.