Olen Perkins

Olen Perkins was born in Sacaton, Arizona, and raised in the Blackwater Community of the Gila River Indian Community. In 1990, Perkins received a Bachelor of Fine Arts from the University of New Mexico and then went on to receive a Master of Fine Arts from the University of Illinois in 1993.

Perkins finds inspiration in Plein air and landscape painting, painting subjects within walking or hiking distance of his home studio in Central Arizona. He also finds inspiration in elevating the common surroundings of everyday existence into a painterly aesthetic and his personal artistic vision.

Painting landscapes has evoked Perkins into considering the time in a more abstract manner. He prefers to paint abstract oil paintings on canvas and believes that each paint stroke is a gesture that defines the process and material of painting.