Clients
American Lawyer,Texas Monthly, Entertainment Weekly, Billboard, GQ, Fortune, The Progressive, V-Life, Runners World, Random House, MacMillan, Universal Music, Wired, The Marketing Arm, Momentum Worldwide, Official Playstation Magazine, Computer Gaming Magazine, Field and Stream, Plan Sponsor, Global Custodian, Continental Airlines, Lipton, CNET, Macromedia, Leo Burnett, Abelson-Taylor, DDB Worldwide, Business Life, Santa Fe Reporter, City Pages, GuidepostTeens, The Santa Barbara Independent, Intelligent Enterprise, The Human Rights Campaign, State of New Mexico, Mazda USA, Florida Trend, CSO Magazine, Narnia Productions, Perfect Data, Juxt Interactive, BrainTrust Media, Discovery Science Center, Ability Magazine, Dayle McIntosh Center, Pacific Craft Show

Awards / Recognition
Cover artist for the Graphic Artists' Guild's Directory of Illustration #23, Communication Arts Illustration Annuals 2003, 2006 and 2010, Applied Arts Photography and Illustration Annual 2004, 2009, 3x3 Illustration Annual 2006, Society of Illustrators West 2010

Education:
MFA, University of Hartford, 2011
BFA, University of California at Los Angeles, 1994

Bio
Kristian Olson is an award winning illustrator and fine artist living in Los Angeles, California. He grew up in Orange County and has since lived all over the state: from the Bay Area, to the Central Valley, to the Inland Empire.

His unusual and often bizarre style is the product of years of experimentation with both digital and traditional media. The strange, decorative subjects in his work reflect an other-wordly sense of mystery, fascination, fear and delight. Often lurking in the background of his imaginative art are hidden words and stories, coded or obscured from the viewer's eye, adding to this sense of mystery. And although his artistic influences are wide and varied, much of his inspiration comes from a constant curiosity about the world around him.

When Kristian isn't creating art he is often refueling his creativity by camping and hiking in the mountains or surfing at the beach.

Work Included in Industry Related Books
The 3D Art Book, by Tristan Eaton, Prestel, 2011
The Source Book of Contemporary Illustration by Yaiza Nicolas, Harper Design 2009
Illusive 2 by Robert Klanten and Hendrick Hellige, Die Geschtalten Verlag, 2007
Thinking Visually by Mark Wigan, Ava Publishing, 2006
All Allure by Robert Klanten and Hendrick Hellige, Die Geschtalten Verlag, 2006
The Fundamentals of Illustration by Lawrence Zegan and Carl Rush, Ava Publishing, 2005

Shows

2009-2011
Working on my MFA and a new body of work.
Pehrspace, The Love Show, Los Angeles, CA (December 14, 2010)

2008
Wal-Art, Small Works, Los Angeles, CA (December 12)
Wal-Art, Brad Benedict’s Sideshow, Los Angeles, CA (September 20)
Galerie Belage, Third Annual Outsider Art Show, New York, NY (July 3)
Outsider Folk Art Gallery, Internal Guidance Systems, Pennsylvania, PA (July 3)
Gallery Nucleus, Power in Numbers, Los Angeles, CA (May 14)
The Hive, Avatar Show, Los Angeles, CA (April 5)
Track 16 Gallery, Internal Guidance Systems, Los Angeles, CA (April 1)
On Six Gallery, Collab-O-Mask, San Francisco, CA (March 8)

2007
Create Fixtate, Reunion, Los Angeles, CA (December 1st)
Ghettogloss / Cannibal Flower, In the Mix, Los Angeles, CA (December 1)
Venice Grind, Howl at the Moon, Los Angeles, CA (November 10)
The Hive, November Show 2007, Los Angeles, CA (November 3)
Crewest Gallery, Top of the Dome IV, Los Angeles, CA (November 3)
Phoenix Gallery, Palace of Marvels, Denver, CO (September 7)
Cannibal Flower, Anniversary Show, Los Angeles, CA (August 25)
Gallery Nucleus, Revenge of the Ninja, Los Angeles, CA (August 11)
Thinkspace, Untitled Love Project:Phase IV, Los Angeles, CA (August 4)
The Hive, Large Feature Wall, Los Angeles, CA (July 5)
Thinkspace, Artdorks Collective, Los Angeles, CA (June 8)
Gallery Nucleus, Power in Numbers, Los Angeles, CA (May 14)
Compound Gallery, Three Course Meal, Portland, OR (May 3)
The Hive, Birds and Bees, Los Angeles, CA (April 4)
The Hive, January Show 2007, Los Angeles, CA (January 5)

Past Shows
Create Fixate, Five Year Anniversary, Los Angeles, CA (December 13)
BLVD Gallery, The Art Army Guerilla Crew, Seattle, WA (December 4)
Compound Gallery, Monster, Portland, OR (October 12)
The Hive, October Show 2006, Los Angeles, CA (October 12)
Thinkspace, Square Foot, Los Angeles, CA (November 11)