Kia ora, and welcome to my website where I hope you can connect with me, my artistic practice and mission.

My work focuses on the emotional and physical impact of oil painting. I use strong contrast and thick layers of textured paint to create an immediate, bodily or felt response…before any intellectual interpretation. My colour choices also play a role, balancing bold, intense colours with softer, earthier tones.

At the heart of my practice is an interest in psychological and spiritual change — moments where pain can shift into acceptance and ordinary experiences become extraordinary. Rather than trying to resolve these tensions, the paintings sit within them, exploring how small changes in perspective can alter the way we experience reality.

I work between abstraction and figuration because that tension mirrors the uncertainty within psychological and spiritual change. This exploration currently takes shape through a collection of paintings called Renewing.

I created this collection to guide viewers toward the subtle pivot points where renewal can take hold. It aims to capture quiet moments when deeper truths can be revealed or obscured, through the fluid interplay of light, shadow, and water — moments when renewal is possible but not always embraced.

This collection will be on show at the Exhibitions Gallery of Fine Arts in Wellington from December 2026. Join my mailing list to receive updates and to preview the exhibition catalogue.

Artist bio

Simon Olsen (b. 1980) is based in Pōneke | Wellington, Aotearoa | New Zealand, where he maintains an active studio practice and is supported by mentorship from established painters and studies at Inverlochy Art School.

Olsen’s debut solo exhibition ‘Right Under My Nose’ in 2025 drew strong audience engagement, with coverage in the Regional News and most works acquired. Later in 2025 his painting ‘Surrender’ received 2nd place in the Inverlochy Art School Annual Exhibition’s People’s Choice Award, from over 100 entries.

Ngā mihi nui,
Simon

PS: this short video here provides more insight into my artistic practice (at least as it was in early 2025, before my début solo exhibition and more recent evolutions).