My current series of paintings, "After Piranesi/After Us," takes as its inspiration the work of the Italian 18th century artist, Piranesi. His etchings show huge Roman ruins and gloomy interiors, with staircases leading into darkness. Where Piranesi portrayed the past, my work portrays what I fear is our future: it seems to me that our way of life, based on endless growth of consumption and population, is not sustainable. By combining modern industrial elements with the forms of ancient ruins, I want to suggest that our own collapse is just one of many imperial collapses over the centuries—though we now have the power to bring down others with us. Like Piranesi, however, I am also amazed and impressed by what humans have been able to build. Our structures, and even our chemical messes, have a lot of visual beauty in them.

The two teachers from whom I learned the most are Boston painter Morton Sacks, and Oskar Kokoschka, who encouraged all sorts of art students to attend his Schule des Sehens in Salzburg.

I have had many one-woman shows in the Bay Area, and representation in shows here and in other parts of the country.

Olivia Eielson

tel: (510) 339-2126

e-mail: olivia2@sonic.net