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God has been-and is-Debbie Olson’s Educator and Giver of gifts. HE has given Debbie HIS type of education and talent. God has especially grown her sensitivities to people through a twenty-year career as New York City police detective. In this environment she encountered many emotions expressed in a wide variety of circumstances. Also, HE has gifted her with a natural ability to see people surrounded by their environment in an artistic framework. The richness of these experiences and her imagination provide a mental catalog of burgeoning ideas. God’s many peoples are her primary subjects and although she has utilized other media to paint her portraits, Debbie prefers the soft and satiny qualities of pastel and charcoal.
She has had little formal training but what she has received has only enhanced outstanding native gifts. Training at Crealde School of Art in Winter Park, Florida includes some art and photography courses taken during the second half of 2006. Her instructor, Dennis Schmalstig, gave her better understanding of perspective, composition, and use of charcoal.

One final area of training involves an ongoing process of studying other artists’ renderings via the internet, art shows, and museums. She also subscribes to, and reads, several art journals on technique and style. Debbie is truly in touch with her clients, interested in them as unique personalities, their character and means of expression. As she comes to know them through conversation and her camera lens, she is able to translate brilliantly onto canvas their essence. Many artists are interested in selling themselves. Debbie is valued because she sells her clients. God’s school, life’s school, and a bit of art schooling have effectively combined in Debbie Olson to produce mental picture composites that burst onto canvas with surprise, mystery, and arresting subject matter.

As a result, in two short years, she offers us charcoal and pastel portraitures flavored in realism ...with depth...rhythm...and a touch of fantasy!

Testimonial by Jacqueline Compton
Orange County Arts Teacher of the Year in 2005.

Deborah Olson has done several portraits for me and I couldn’t be more pleased with the outcome of each. The first commission was for a jazz music CD, Wixwax on Capri Records, for pianist, Bob Hamilton. Deborah did a portrait of Bob Hamilton to be used in the CD insert as well as on his website. The likeness to Bob was so great, that I then asked her to do a portrait of myself, from my younger days as a singer. The portrait was in charcoal and quite flattering!  The third commission was for a full color pastel painting of my two daughters. We are thrilled with the portrait!!! Deborah Olson is a truly talented artist that can take a photograph to another place…bring it to life, without losing the integrity of the original.

Donna Hamilton
Vice President, List Management
Millard Group, Inc.

Debbie is amazing because there is a huge difference between her previous profession as a police detective-which placed her in treacherous, sometimes life-threatening situations-and her present vocation emerging into the beauty of pastel artistry. We were honored and flattered that she did our girls, Alyssa and Hayley. She captured their personalities-more than appearance, their essence. Debbie is tenacious and dedicated. She lives and breathes her art. It’s like food. She has to have it. She has to do it-because of who she is. I would recommend her to anybody. I would love for her to do our entire family tree!

Cindy Hudson
Homemaker, Teacher

Deborah’s portraits are more beautiful than many photos I’ve seen. When her portraits are set side by side with a photo, I challenge anyone to differentiate between the two.

Robert Herrle
Actor, Model, Stage Director