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 its 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. 1 2 3 Rosenblum, Constance (October 3, 2013). "Making Life, and Your Cat, Sit Still". The New York Times. Retrieved April 3, 2026.
  2. 1 2 3 "Mimi Vang Olsen Pet Portraits: NYC Artist Immortalizes Cherished Cats and Dogs". December 20, 2019. Retrieved April 27, 2021.
  3. ↑ "Pet Portraitist Paints Oodles of Poodles & Mugs of Pugs". WNYC. November 10, 2011. Retrieved October 28, 2016.
  4. ↑ "Sit!". Forbes.com. Retrieved October 28, 2016.


This page is issued from Wikipedia. The text is available under Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 unless otherwise noted. Additional terms may apply for the media files.