By James Greaves
Greg Olsen unveiled four new pieces of work Wednesday in the new Red Dot gallery at the BYU Bookstore.
He came to autograph prints for fans, while on the wall behind him three original landscapes and a religious-themed piece hung, so new they were still unsigned. Though he does not usually paint landscapes, the three that Olsen brought to the gallery were part of 25 he painted this summer.
'During the summer I took some time off and did some impressionistic paintings,' Olsen said. 'It was a fun change of pace, the other pieces are so time intensive.'
The other 22 are on display in the Repartee gallery at Riverwoods, though Olsen said he wasn''t sure how many had been sold.
However, customers who came to get pictures signed on Wednesday were more interested in the new religious piece, 'Forgiven,' based on a verse in Isaiah: 'Though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow.'
In the new work, a woman in a red robe is kneeling at the feet of the Savior, holding the Lord''s hand while his other hand rests on her shoulder.
The gallery, on the first floor of the BYU Bookstore is only two months old and has already hosted three prominent artists: Del Parson, Simon Dewey and Greg Olsen. Al Rounds is also scheduled to sign on Dec. 13.
'It''s very successful,' said Val Ugolini, art and frame buyer supervisor for the BYU Bookstore. It was his idea to open the gallery to help people better appreciate art.
'We want people to know more about art by talking to the artist. We have great artists here in Utah. They like to meet with people,' he said.
The name 'Red Dot' comes from the tradition of placing a small red sticker in a gallery beside a painting that has been sold.
Each artist that signs there has his work on display for several days and brings original work with them when they come.
As far as originals go, Olsen said he has a companion piece for 'Forgiven' in mind, though he has not yet put brush to canvas. The second will have the same woman as the first, this time sitting beside the Savior dressed in white.
'I hope my religious art just brings some people happiness and enjoyment,' Olsen said. 'I like to believe that man is to have joy and that''s what life''s all about.'
A painter since high school from Iona, Idaho, Olsen now lives in Provo and is a counselor in a BYU singles ward, among other things. He paints in many different styles and said he plans to continue to paint as diversely as he has been painting in the past.
'I don''t like to stick to one style,' he said. 'There are so many things that interest me, I don''t want to confine myself to only religious art.'
Olsen said he will continue painting for a long time, painting whatever is most interesting to him at the time.
'I still have a lot of paintings in my mind I''d like to do,' he said. 'I''ll be as surprised as anyone to see what''s coming up.'
The bookstore also has plans for the future. The Red Dot gallery will host Al Rounds next week and has ''big plans'' for the new year, Ugolini said.
'Something''s coming in January,' he said. 'Something bigger than anything else that''s been here yet. We''re going to have a lot of incredible things.'