Introduction
Bettye Olson is an expressionist painter and teacher born and based in Minnesota. Born in 1923, she earned both a BA and MA in art education from the University of Minnesota before accepting a faculty position there. Taking her inspiration from the natural world around her, she paints with bold brush strokes and dazzling colors.
Learn more about Bettye's work from the exhibit brochure above. Hear more about Bettye's work in her own words - and from St. Kate’s associate professor Patricia Olson, curator of the 2006 retrospective - in this clip from an episode of Minnesota Originals.
References
Brice, T. (2018). [Bettye Olson painting]. Living Lutheran. https://www.livinglutheran.org/2018/09/im-a-lutheran-bettye-olson/
Huiting, D. (Director). (2013, November 10). Jon Reischl and Phil Mattson (Season 4, Episode 27) [TV series episode]. In Steinbach, D. (Executive Producer), Minnesota Original. Twin Cities Public Television. https://www.tpt.org/mn-original/video/Bettye-Olson-607076H-1/
L’Enfant, & Hansen, J. (2017). Persistence of vision : the art of Bettye Olson (First edition.). Afton Historical Society Press.
Olson, B. (2006). Persistence of Vision: Bettye Olson's Work in Retrospect.[Exhibition catalog]. St. Paul, MN: St. Catherine University, Catherine G. Murphy Gallery.