Europa (unfinished) / sketches and remixes – vol. 3 – Dave Olson's Creative Life Archive

Europa (unfinished) / sketches and remixes – vol. 3

Fields out of train window – somewhere in France, 2005, watercolour pencil on paper, 11″x17″

In 2005, i wandered Europa (Netherlands, Belgium, France, Spain, Portugal) by train, car and tram. Along the way, i wrote an extensive cycle of poetry, and completed a solid dozen or so paintings (acrylic, watercolour and charcoal) – some of which you may have seen along the way. I also started a load of other pieces which haven’t had a day in the easel yet — mostly because i like to let art ferment but also because i can never decide which medium to use to “finish” these.

Acrylics were more exciting in the white hot moment of creating en plein, watercolour teases my rather clumsy and aggressive touch and i am tempted to use simple black ink and make something colour-able by kids and adults. Not sure how to go about this as its not a technique i am polished at (yet) but these do need a life beyond a shoebox.

Maybe you kind folks and artists can offer a word of advice or idea? Regardless, they are nowhere near and as such, lonely and sad. So, here are rough drafts in ragged spontaneity and various forms and mediums. This is Vol. 3 of a few (last one i think), pardon repeats and redundancies.

bonus: another version of Fishing Boats near cliffs in Salema, Portugal. copied and coloured

Looking out a window with a beer -Santiago de Compostela, Spain, 2005, pencil on paper, copied and marker’d, 11″x17″
Laneway, door #24 etc. – Amsterdam, The Netherlands, 2005, pencil on paper, copied and marker’d, 11″x17″

Bonus “colouring book”

Whilst tidying up (2025), i found the 2 compiled “colouring books” made from some of the above as well as works in process in other volumes in this erstwhile series – so hey, download and print a PDF for arts and crafts fun and let me know how it goes

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