Statement
Jimmy Ulvenes is an artist from Olympia, WA. After teaching art in the local public schools for over twenty years, a kidney/pancreas transplant led Ulvenes to an early retirement.
He took advantage of this moment, and poured himself into his true loves: his family and his art.
Ulvenes' paintings are inspired by our surroundings. "I guess you could say I'm in the midst of a love affair with the northwest" he states. "Nature has so many lessons to teach us.
The ocean reminds us to be patient, and to get to work, while the forest tells us to build community and stand strong. The prairies reassure us that spring always returns."
The poetry of Mary Oliver has also been inspiring to the artist as of late. "She expresses wonder, humor and bewilderment at our natural world in a way that aligns with my feelings when painting."
His work is evocative and moody, though he is careful to play it neutral, not painting too dark or too light.
"All of my work has a mood, but it is up to the viewer to find it. The only constant in all my work is a sense of hope."
Ulvenes lives with his wife, Amber, and their three children, Clara Jane, Clyde and Hazel. His studio is in downtown Olympia, where he enjoys and is inspired by many creatives that are in and around the city core.