Zazz

Fritz Olsen traded his studio on Goose Island in Chicago for the rural countryside of Sawyer, Michigan. He works in a beautifully restored 1930s Azalea nursery just off the shores of Lake Michigan.

American artist Fritz Olsen, a graduate of Eastern Illinois University, is a nationally recognized sculptor who began his artistic journey on industrial Goose Island in 1985. It was here that he began creating original sculptures for both public and private installations. Over his nearly 40-year artistic practice, resorts, hospitals, universities, and courthouses across the country have commissioned him for works of art. Olsen works in the media of marble (his first love), painting, stainless steel, wood, onyx, granite, and cast bronze to create pieces that vary widely in scale.

Much of his work, however, is influenced by nature, particularly within the Midwest landscape. This link is derived from his childhood years spent growing up in Illinois and continues to this day. Olsen says he is enchanted by organic shapes and expresses this interest within his work. Pulling forms from nature, such as flower petals, stems, and blossoms, he simplifies and replicates their physical attributes within the stone to make beautifully flowing abstract creations. The curves presented in many of his sculptures seem to reference anatomy as well, matching the curves often seen in the female form, allowing his work to leak a seductive appeal.