Rhode Island-based painter Paul Olson presents A Brush with Trees, a new exhibition of plein-air landscapes created on the historic grounds of Blithewold. These expressive oil paintings capture the arboretum’s majestic trees, shifting coastal light, and the quiet beauty of one of Rhode Island’s most beloved gardens.
Many of the works were begun during summers when Olson taught outdoor painting classes at Blithewold through RISD Continuing Education, offering a unique perspective shaped by deep observation and painterly rhythm.
Come walk the grounds—and see them through the artist’s eyes.
The exhibit is open during regular Visitors Center hours.
Located in The Marjorie Van Wickle Lyon Gallery in the Visitors Center
About the Artist:
Paul Olson is a Rhode Island-based painter known for his expressive plein-air landscapes that capture the quiet complexity of trees, forests, and coastal environments. With a practice rooted in direct observation and decades of painting outdoors, Olson creates painterly, calligraphic works that reflect his deep connection to the natural world. His work balances energetic mark-making with a studied attention to light, atmosphere, and place.
A graduate of the Rhode Island School of Design (BFA, Illustration), Olson has exhibited widely in solo and group exhibitions, including at the Arnold Arboretum of Harvard University, the National Museum of Wildlife Art, and the RISD Museum. His one-person shows Drawn to Woods and Drawn to Paint reflect his long-standing interest in the life and form of trees. His paintings have also been featured in juried exhibitions such as the Blanch Ames Regional Art Competition (First Place, 2002) and the Cape Ann Plein-Air Paint Out.
In addition to his studio and fieldwork, Olson has contributed over 30 years to arts education, teaching painting and illustration at RISD and Massachusetts College of Art and Design. His work continues to evolve through direct engagement with the natural world, often painted from life in changing light and weather.