Draft:Luis Olaso

Luis Olaso (born 1986) is a Spanish abstract artist known for his oil and acrylic works that blend expressionism with symbolism, incorporating lines, forms, and colors to reflect his personal feelings and views.

Early life and education
Luis Olaso was born in Bilbao, Spain, in 1986. Initially self-taught, he later graduated in Fine Arts at the Faculty of Fine Arts of the Basque Country.

Artistic style and themes
Olaso's paintings incorporate his personal emotions and perspectives, featuring figures, plant components, geometric shapes, and colors. His artwork often uses techniques such as splattering, dripping, and impasto. His themes include flora, landscapes, and personal histories.

Olaso's creative process is divided into two parts: action and analysis. He begins by painting impulsively, creating shapes, spots, and color planes, and then steps back to analyze his compositions. This approach helps him reach his internal feelings. Olaso describes his paintings as dynamic self-portraits born from the irrational part of the brain.

Method of Creation
Olaso aims to "render intuition and feeling and emotion at the core of my practice to show how they are at the basis of creation." Informed by subconscious feelings and emotions, he creates art from instinct and impulse, transforming materials like black paint, white canvases, and brushes into dynamic compositions.

Notable exhibitions

 * 2023: "The Garden," JD Malat Gallery, London, UK
 * 2022: "Insight," Makasiini Contemporary, Turku, Finland
 * 2021: "Physis," JD Malat Gallery, London, UK
 * 2018: "Reina Sofía" Painting Contest Exhibition, Casa de Vacas, Madrid, Spain
 * 2017: XIX Bienal Internacional De Arte De Cerveira, Vila Nova de Cerveira, Portugal

Collections

 * Yusaku Maezawa's Contemporary Art Foundation, Tokyo, Japan
 * Simco. Stefan Simchowitz Collection, USA
 * Diputación Foral de Bizkaia, Spain
 * Santander Creativa Foundation, Spain
 * Luis de Morales Museum, Spain
 * Diego del Alcazar's Private Collection, Spain

Awards and recognition
Olaso has been recognized and selected as a finalist in several prestigious competitions, including the Reina Sofía Prize for Painting and Sculpture (2017–2018), the City of Badajoz Painting Prize, the Ibercaja Young Painting Prize, and the Focus International Painting Prize.