Bob Olszewski

BOB OLSZEWSKI

Welcome to the enchanted world of Bob Olszewski Gallery of Light, The collection that brings to life with dimensional illumination some of your most memorable and beloved Disney© film moments. Would you like to see all the little entire collection? Bob Olszewski

ABOUT THE ARTIST: Robert Olszewski was born in 1945 in Natrona Heights, Pennsylvania. His natural interest in art developed early and was first demonstrated in painting and drawing. At age 16, he began winning awards for his work at local art shows, and was encouraged to pursue a career in art. Robert graduated in 1968 with a BS in Art Education from Indiana University of Pennsylvania, married, and moved to Southern California in the same year to live near a major US art center and teach. While teaching he painted in the summers and at night. The security of teaching plus the free time, allowed him to experiment freely and develop his skills. He had his first one-man show at the Ryder Gallery on La Cienega Boulevard in Los Angeles at age 27. At the same time he enjoyed his young family and made toys for his children to play with.

Along with toys, he built a dollhouse for his daughter and this was his introduction to the world of miniatures. His interest in miniatures turned from playful to a serious exploration of miniature figurative works as a medium of expression. After 11 years, Robert left teaching in 1978 and pursued miniature figurative work full-time. Within a year his work was receiving national attention. In 1979, at age 34, Robert was brought under exclusive contract with the major European porcelain company, Goebel, maker of the world famous M.I. Hummel figures and was co-founder of the Goebel Miniature Studios. As master artist from 1979 to 1994, Robert oversaw the development of the modeling and painting studios, and watched the company grow from a staff of four painters in 1979 to 65 painters in a studio numbering 95 personnel.

In 1993, a 30-year museum retrospective of his work was mounted at the Carnegie Art Museum in Oxnard, California and in the same year Robert was named "International Collectible Artist of the Year." In 1994, Robert re-established privately owned Olszewski Studios and began exploring his art in a smaller studio to enable him to devote more time to his personal artistic growth. This new direction will follow his personal artistic interests and will reflect his love of working the in the small scale, his interest in European figurative porcelain, and his love of exploring and combining new materials. In his early fifties, his move to an independent status will leave more time to pursue in depth his art and address those areas he has been waiting to explore. In 1995, Robert was commissioned by the Walt Disney Company to prototype miniatures for their Enchanted Places Program. In 1996, a second museum retrospective of his work was mounted at The Carole and Barry Kaye Museum of Miniatures in Los Angeles, California. In 1998, Robert received the Distinguished Alumni Award from Indiana University of Pennsylvania and a third retrospective of his artwork was mounted at the University Museum. In 1999, Robert was commissioned by Indiana University of Pennsylvania to create a commemorative gift for their 125th Anniversary.

Robert has worked from 1980 to 1994 interpreting in miniature under license the art of M.I. Hummel, Walt Disney, Bialosky, Norman Rockwell, and Ted Grazia. He has executed commissioned work for Grolier Enterprises, Artists of the World, Danbury Mint and the Franklin Mint.

Biography received from Olszewski Studios

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