Stan Olthuis

Stan Olthuis is a Canadian artist whose work explores time, energy, gesture, and layering. His current body of work reflects a deep engagement with the dynamics of relationships—both emotional and physical. Through observation and perception, Olthuis translates interactions into visual form, bringing organic shapes together so they nearly touch, firmly connect, or intersect to provoke a response. The resulting compositions are playful explorations of colour, shape, and motion. Some pieces suggest an almost imperceptible potential for change, inviting the viewer into a subtle experience of interactivity.

“My work has always involved concept, tactility and expressionistic energy. I visualize my ‘story’ and imagery simultaneously, allowing the work to surprise me and come to life as I work through a rapid execution. I am almost careless in how I use colour or texture so that I don’t ‘design’ too much. I enjoy facing the fear of improvising on-the-fly to keep it interesting and open up a flow to new iterations.” Stan Olthuis

Some of his recent work draws inspiration from urban environments, particularly the beauty found in weathered surfaces transformed by time and human interference. These marks—layered and accidental—symbolize the invisible energy of lived experience. Amid this visual history, Olthuis is drawn to the contrast of untouched elements, still full of promise.

Olthuis studied in Chicago with Dutch artist Henk Krijger, whose joy in working across disciplines left a lasting impact. He continued his studies at the Ontario College of Art and Design, where he was fortunate to learn from respected artists such as Fred Hagan, Gus Weisman, Nobuo Kubota, Tom Dean, Udo Kasemets, and Dan Solomon. Particularly influential was Tom Hodgson of Painters Eleven, whose mantra “Art is Process” continues to guide Olthuis in his ongoing artistic explorations.