Artist Esther Olsson's tomgirl world

Date
20 September 2016

From a baby pink studio in Melbourne suburb Northcote, illustrator and artist Esther Olsson is painting an empire with pastel-coloured gouache.

“Most of my works,” Esther says, “start with a loose story and sketch. I will pick out all the colours and just start painting, designing changes as I start to paint because colours will always change the feeling of space.”

Before deciding to work as an artist, Esther studied graphic design at the Tractor Graphic Design School. Graphic elements continue to pervade her distinctive work. “My background in graphic design is the foundation to how I structure my work. It also allows me to create works on the computer. I can’t imagine that I would have the same style if I hadn’t studied it.”

Many of Esther’s paintings are near-symmetric, filled with repeating patterns and motifs. “I noticed I was always attracted to imagery that was symmetrical on a page, because I felt it was easier to process and the transition in to my work was very unconscious but certainly stuck,” she explains. “Although the works I’m currently working on are slowly moving away from this structure.”

The repeating patterns make up a tongue-in-cheek blend of Mexican style folk art with internet iconography: surfers, dolphins, serpents, horses, flowers, dollar signs, naked women, cacti, hammers, upended bottles, wasps, laurels, basket balls, crocodiles, guns, breasts, cigarettes, emoji peaches and fried eggs.

“My major theme would have to be tomgirl attitude,” Esther tells It’s Nice That. “Tomgirl” describes both Esther’s work and her girl-gang world: the baby pink studio space she works in thanks to the support of friend, mentor and fellow artist Kirra Jamison.

Following the success of her first solo show Hoops (“based around shooting goals in life, nights out with my girl gangs, all the good or bad things that we get up to. Accepting it’s ok to ball your eyes out!”), Esther is now working on upcoming group shows — plus the odd commission from teen girl bible Rookie.

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About the Author

Bryony Stone

Bryony joined It's Nice That as Deputy Editor in August 2016, following roles at Mother, Secret Cinema, LAW, Rollacoaster and Wonderland. She later became Acting Editor at It's Nice That, before leaving in late 2018.

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