(b. 1963, Rochester, New York)

Education

Columbia University, MA, New York, NY 1995

Rhode Island School of Design, BFA, Providence, RI 1986

Selected Solo and small-group Exhibitions and Projects

2024    Upcoming, The Garrison Art Center, The Gillette Gallery, solo exhibition, Philipstown, New York (details TBA)

2023    Vassar, The Palmer Gallery, Imploding Meaning, curated by Monica Church, Poughkeepsie, NY

2021    Gibson Contemporary, From The Drawer – OnLine – Margaret Pettee Olsen + Chris Coffin,  New York, NY 

2018    808 Projects, Relay: Paintings by Margaret Pettee Olsen, exhibition extended into 2019, curated by art historian Stephanie Grilli, Denver, CO

2017    Gallery EOSS, CypherPaintings by Margaret Pettee Olsen, Providence, RI 

2015    Gallery EEOS, File Not Found, Margaret Pettee Olsen + Brian Kane, two solo exhibitions guest-curated by Alexander Castro, Providence, RI

2013    Summit, M Pettee Olsen Projection Installation pop-up, Rochester, NY

2010 The University of Central Florida, Center for Emerging Media, Studio Art and the Computer Gallery, Occlusions, recent work by Margaret Pettee Olsen, Invited by E Brady Robinson, Orlando, FL

2007    TMA, Margaret Pettee Olsen – New Paintings project, Avon, CT

2005    Project for McGrath&Braun, Denver, CO

2003    Public Installation, Art in the Environment Project with Margaret Pettee Olsen, sponsored by Scientific and Cultural Facilities District, Indian Hills, CO, 

2000    A Million Summer Mornings, Paintings for Poetry Project, published in Los Angeles, CA

1997    In-site Paintings Project, by M Pettee Olsen, published in Los Angeles, CA

1994    Macy Gallery, Columbia University, Dis-Covering Re-presentation – Recent Paintings by Margaret Pettee Olsen, New York, NY

1992 Established Oberon Press, NYC, in collaboration with master printer William M. Olsen, in TriBeCa — New York, NY

1987 Printmaking and curating under the direction of Robert Blanton and Bruce Porter with and for the following artists: Barbara Kruger, James Rosenquist, and Frank Stella, New York, NY 1987–1989

1986    Rhode Island School of Design, Passages – An Installation, Grant funded by the Rhode Island School of Design, Providence, RI

Selected Group Exhibitions and Projects

2023    Macy Gallery, Columbia University, Connectivity, curated by Jun Gao, New York, NY

2022    The Coral DoorEast Village, Elemental Fictions, curated by Jessica Nissen and Lowell Boyers, New York, NY

2021    Gibson Contemporary. Best of the Season – A Virtual Exhibition, New York, NY

2021    M. David&Co. Abstraction Now – A Virtual Exhibition, Selections From the Yellow Chair Salon, curated by Michael David, Brooklyn, NY with the Truro Center for the Arts, Cape Cod, MA

2021    Macy Gallery, Columbia University, Celebrating Bridges, curated by Dr. Razia Sadik, New York, NY 

2019    The Arvada Center for Arts and Humanities, Colorado Abstract +10, curated by Collin Parson, Arvada, CO

2019    William Havu Gallery, Women In Abstraction, Denver, CO

2019    Macy Gallery, Columbia University, Coming Home, curated by Radiah Harper, New York, NY

2018    Goodwin Fine Art, Confluence, Denver, CO

2018    The Emmanuel Gallery concurrent with 808 Projects, Made In Colorado, Project leads, Olga Viso, and Cameron Keith Gainer, Denver, CO

2016    Center for Visual Art, Metropolitan State University, Colorado Women in Abstraction, curated by Michael Paglia, Denver, CO

2013    A Gallery Santa Fe, RISD New Mexico Exhibition, curated by Nathaniel Hesse, Santa Fe, NM   

2013    BMOCA + DBG, CSArt, curated by David Dadone, Executive Director + Chief Curator of the Boulder Museum of Contemporary Art, and Lisa M W Eldred, Director of Exhibitions, Art and Interpretation, Denver Botanic Gardens, Denver CO

2012    Core, Abstract, curated by Dean Sobel, Director of the Clyfford Still Museum, Denver, CO

2011    Metropolitan Pavilion, Chaucer’s Madonna Project, for Patrick J Hamilton, New York, NY

2011    The St. Julien, New Artists New Work, curated by Trudi Horowitz and Susan Knickle, Boulder, CO

2009    McGrath & Braun, Falling Away Project, for Robinson Waters & O’Dorisio PC Public Art Collection, Denver, CO

2008    Spark Gallery, Supporting Show, Denver, CO

2004    Parmalee, Arts in the Environment Project, sponsored by SCFD, Indian Hills, CO

1999    Pettee Olsen begins studies on Transformative Experiences, concerns examined at Columbia University now drivers in their work

1997    Travels American southwest, the first studio in Denver established

1995    Travels Japan, For In-Site Project, published in Los Angeles, CA

1995    Columbia University, TC, Printmaking in America Project, New York, NY

1994    Columbia University, Spring, Macy Gallery, curated by Mary Hafelli, New York, NY

1993    Independent Artists Biennial, Brooklyn, NY

1992    Oberon Press, NYC, Founding director/curator, TriBeCa, New York, NY

Presentations, Lectures + Arts Advocacy

2017-

Present   T\LT WEST, ongoing round table Invitational; “Curators, Collectors, & the shaping of Art History”. Courtenay Finn, Curator of the Aspen Art Museum, prompter, and others.

2020    Conversations Series, Invited to a sustained discussion of contemporary art issues. Stephanie Grilli, Ph.D., Yale, independent art historian, co-curator of Taos Contemporary, and advisory board member, prompter, Center for Visual Art, Denver, CO

2016    Guest Instructor, Boulder School of Fine Art, Boulder, CO

2016    Artist panel, “Colorado Women In Abstraction”, moderated by arts writer Michael Paglia, Center for Visual Art, Denver, CO

2015    Artist speaker, “File Not Found – Brian Kane and Margaret Pettee Olsen”, Gallery EOSS, Providence, RI

2013    Artist speaker, “CSART”, Invited and sponsored by The Boulder Museum of Contemporary Art and The Denver Botanic Gardens.

2004    Artist panel discussion, “Art in the Environment, Artist-In-Residence”, sponsored by Scientific and Cultural Facilities District, Indian Hills, CO

1995    Instructor, Creative Workshop, Memorial Art Gallery, Rochester, NY

1994    Guest instructor, for Masters candidates, Art & Art Education department, Columbia University, T.C., New York, NY

1987-

1989 Printmaking and curating under the direction of Robert Blanton and Bruce Porter with and for the following artists: Barbara Kruger, James Rosenquist, Frank Stella, and others New York, NY 1987–1989

 Bibliography

2019    Paglia, Michael, Review, Six Women take Separate Paths to an Impressive Show at Havu, Westword,  (A Village Voice publication, Denver and surrounding) July 3

2018    Paglia, Michael, Review: The Reality of Abstraction at 808 Projects, Relay: Margaret Pettee Olsen, Westword, (A Village Voice publication, Denver and surrounding) Nov 14th

2016    Lee, Elizabeth, “Cipher”, Art New England, November 1

2015    Rinaldi, Ray, “Colorado Women In Abstraction Cuts Across History”, The Denver Post, August 12

2015    Froyd, Susan, “Colorado Women In Abstraction”, Westword, (A Village Voice publication, Denver and surrounding), July 1

2015    Castro, Alexander, “File Not Found, Margaret Pettee Olsen + Brian Kane”, The Providence Journal, November 3

2013    Lewis, Shanna “CSArt Colorado”, Colorado Matters, Buying a share of Art, May 23

2012    Bewkes, Stacey, “More Style…”, Quintessence, Living Well with Style and Substance-blog, April 302011  Hamilton, Patrick J, “Artfully Gifted Friends…”, Ask Patrick, December 16

2009    Michael Paglia, “Supporting Show”, Spark Gallery, Denver, CO, July 22  

2004    Staff, “Arts In the Environment”, Canyon Courier, November 2

M Pettee Olsen has been collected both nationally and internationally.  Below is a list of selected private collections. 

Selected Collections

The Rhode Island School of Design

Ann Benson Reidy + Associates

The private Collection of Jina Brenneman

Robinson Waters & O’Dorisio Public Art Collection

The Private Collection of Mark Kostabi

The Private Collection of Martin Johnson

The David and Annette Raddock Collection

The Private Collection of Jina Brenneman

The Private Collection of Dominic Sekich

Ralph Nagel of the Nagel Hall Art Collection

The Private Collection of Tom Kacvinsky

And other collections internationally 

Grants Awards and Fellowships

Ucross Foundation Fellow – Spring 2019

Honors at Rhode Island School of Design:

The Rhode Island School of Design, Illustration Department Heads, David Porter, and David Niles, cite the artist as inspiration for the development of interdisciplinary and inter-departmental study at RISD, Providence, RI – 1984

RISD Artist Grant, Passages, an installation between RISD proper and the RISD Museum – 1986