DeAnne Olguin Williamson
DeAnne Olguin Williamson is a visual artist who holds a BFA from San Diego State University. She currently resides in Petaluma, California with her husband and two children. She has been painting full-time since 2005. Over the last three years she has redefined her style and refers to it as pop-surreal expressionism.
Heavily influenced by her father, an artist who painted oil landscapes, all of DeAnne’s work is tied to family, relationships, and growth. Whether it’s the emotional and spiritual growth of her female figures or the organic evolution of the natural world, DeAnne’s work speaks to the ways subjects stick to their roots while also finding their unique paths. Her use of colors, textures, and patterns is intended to reveal her subjects as peaceful, tranquil, and grounded.
While some find answers to their toughest questions through the practice of meditation, I find mine when I come to a blank canvas.
Art has been a faithful companion as I navigated loss, grief, change, and challenges. It provides me with a space to spill my innermost feelings.
I paint with colors, textures, and patterns that give my work a depth, both physically and emotionally. There are layers, sometimes hidden, in every piece. As Whitman said, “I contain multitudes” and so does my art.
Technique is everything in my work. Through long, smooth brushstrokes I depict serenity. I use the tip of a brush to make harsher marks that symbolize frustration or uncertainty. My repetitive stamp-like designs represent strength, power, and acceptance.
Every piece of art I create comes from a personal experience that I want to share. I tell my own stories as well as the stories of women who have inspired me and stories I have uncovered in nature, which is where I feel the most grounded and secure. When viewers connect with my art, they are connecting with a piece of my soul.
My art is a place I can return again and again and always learn something new about myself. I can lose myself in it and then return feeling renewed. Likewise, I hope my viewers are able to take time to get lost in what my work means to them and feel a sense of connection, like they are not alone in the world.
I lead art journaling workshops that combine art and self-discovery to connect you with your passions and creativity.
I began teaching art journaling classes because I knew I wasn’t alone in my desire to step into my power. In my life, art has often been a way through the toughest times. I felt called to share that experience with others.
My classes reflect the art I create. Both seek to empower people and help us feel aligned with our highest desires. Through the journaling process students find an outlet that allows them to connect and share with others. Not every student is an artist. What unites us is our desire to be a part of a creative community. I see it as self-care, a way that people can show up for themselves in a meaningful way.