Mimi Vang Olsen

Mimi Vang Olsen is a New York-born painter specializing in pet portraits in The Village since the early 1970s. Her work has brought her international recognition and celebrity clientele.[1]

Family

Olsen was born in the Bronx. Her parents were immigrants from Hungary and Armenia.[2] Her father was a photographer and her mother was a textile designer.[2][1] Her husband, Bent, is Danish.[1]

Artistry

It is estimated that Vang Olsen has painted close to 400 pet and family portraits over her decades-long career. “I approach it as if it were a formal portrait of a person or a piece of fruit,” Vang Olsen said. “It could be a still life. And by analyzing the pet’s personality, dog or cat, you can figure out how to do a beautiful portrait.”[3] She only paints pets that are alive so she can visit the pet and learn it's personality for the portrait.[2]

Vang Olsen's artwork can be seen in most card stores, with profits from calendars and cards going to The Humane Society of New York.[4]

References

  1. ^ a b c Debriefing By CONSTANCE ROSENBLUM OCT. 3, 2013 (2013-10-03). "Making Life, and Your Cat, Sit Still - The New York Times". The New York Times. Retrieved 2016-10-28.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  2. ^ a b c "Mimi Vang Olsen Pet Portraits: NYC Artist Immortalizes Cherished Cats and Dogs". 2019-12-20. Retrieved 2021-04-27.
  3. ^ "Pet Portraitist Paints Oodles of Poodles & Mugs of Pugs". WNYC. 2011-11-10. Retrieved 2016-10-28.
  4. ^ "Sit!". Forbes.com. Retrieved 2016-10-28.


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