With a thousand looks you could never take in every detail of Ola Volo's intricate illustrations. Her abstract folklorish narratives lead the eye and mind on a journey through each piece, creating a sense of wonder and imagination.
The spirited personality within her work has captured our city - Volo's illustrations and murals have been commissioned by the likes of Lululemon, Hootsuite and the Vancouver Opera. Volo still keeps her roots local and supportive of Vancouver's art scene; you can find her creating in her Mt. Pleasant studio, beautifying our outdoor spaces, or on the walls of a number of the city's local businesses.
Tell us a little about yourself... My name is Ola Volo and I am an artist and illustrator based in Vancouver, Canada. I create narrative work that lends itself often to the public realm with murals and advertising illustrations.
How did you get started and what led you to where you are now? I have always been interested in illustration and after years of after-school art classes and a BFA from Emily Carr University, I finally decided to pursue art full time.
Do you have a Vancouver muse? Or a favourite place in or around the city that inspires you? I live in the Mt. Pleasant area and I love the creative community we have. I find a lot of inspiration from the studio visits and the insightful conversation with other entrepreneurs that live in the area.
If you were a type of candy, what would you be? I would be any kind of Russian candy, they often have very intricate folk-styled wrappers.
How would you describe Vancouver’s artistic/creative community? Vancouver's creative community is very talented and supportive of each other. I think everyone contributes a lot to the community and is able to push new boundaries that raise the bar for the future artists.
What is your favourite creative website? I spend hours on ColourLovers.com looking for my new favourite colour palettes and discovering odd colour combinations that magically work together.
If you could describe your artistic style in one word, what would it be? International.
Is there one area of your craft you find especially challenging? I find that the most challenging area of the creative process is to craft the story that I will be illustrating. There should always be a personal connection to every project I take on from clients. This is why it’s important to fit in a small surprise or something personal into every piece. It keeps things exciting for me.
If you could speak to a room of youth who were considering careers in the arts, what would your advice be? Anyone who is interested in freelancing as an artist should look at their practice as an entrepreneur. My parents were both entrepreneurs and always lend me professional advice about management and finance. My second advice is for any creative to be prolific. The more work you create, the better you will understand yourself.
