Joe Olney

“My artwork has taken many forms over the years and continues to change as I experiment with different mediums. Right now my work resides in two camps: representational paintings and mixed-media relief abstractions. 

Last year my wife and I moved to a quiet suburban neighborhood in Midlothian, VA. Kinda tame, a little boring, yet somehow still captivating to me. In my new setting of 1980's brick ranchers, vinyl-sided split levels, dormant lawns, and winter bare trees, the work shifted to domestic interiors and neighborhood scenes. In a recent batch, I use a simple set-up of flowers in front of a window or piece of furniture as a starting point. Color is the chief concern in this work, and the palette is limited in order to better understand how colors relate to one another. It's not clear to me if these unnaturally colorful paintings are hopeful love letters to a post-Covid Spring or me wanting more visual meals to chew on than my new neighborhood could provide this winter. Either way, the work serves as a much needed escape as we enter the third year of this goddamn pandemic. 

The abstract reliefs, on the other hand, stem from my interest in texture and pattern. Working with cardstock and wood putty, a chunky relief is built up on the surface into a geometric pattern or grid. On top of this surface, I paint abstract patterns and shapes inspired by a variety of sources such as nature, agriculture, landscapes, cars, and quiltmaking. Although colors are carefully chosen in these works, the real focus is the composition since the underlying topography has to mesh well or somehow make sense with the design on top of it. I enjoy solving these paintings. Due to their irregular surfaces, viewing these pieces from the side causes the full composition to be hidden somewhat. As you walk up to it, you might not be sure what you're looking at. The picture only "snaps to" when seen head-on. Although deeply personal in their subject matter, they are a way for me to not take things too seriously and at the same time have some fun with the viewer.”

— Joe Olney

Instagram @joe.olney