Antonia Olak

As an experimental artist I am constantly exploring a variety of media and techniques to create my bold figurative works, lyrical forest landscapes and abstracts.

Antonia is a Canadian artist who has lived in rural areas of northern California and now resides in British Columbia. It is clear to see the influence of the landscape and nature in much of her work.

Whether it's building up textures and thin layers of glazes in her abstracts paintings or working on charcoal drawings, Antonia challenges herself to explore negative space in different ways. She says: For several years now my focus in my art work has shifted from subject matter to the negative space with it's underlying currents, tensions and light.

Mark Tobey's “Ghost Writings” and the changing west coast art scene in the 1970s were some of the inspirations for Antonia's path. Her teacher, Jack Wise and his contemporaries also played a pivotal role in her growth.

Antonia's early practice of looking inward to her spiritual connection to the world proved to be a very valuable guide in the direction her artwork would take her. She has received a diploma from the Victoria College of Art and furthered her development by taking courses at UVIC, ECUAD and VIU.

Antonia has participated in community benefits including the BC Children's Hospital, and in 2019 Antonia was one of the 80 artists selected to be part of One Tree project through The Bateman Foundation, in Victoria, BC.