Steve Olson (skateboarder and artist)
{{Short description|American skateboarder and contemporary artist }}
{{Use mdy dates|date=November 2024}}
{{Infobox person
| name = Steve Olson
| image = File:Steve Olson skateboarder and artist, Los Angeles - July 2023. Photo by Ithaka Darin Pappas.jpg
| caption = Olson in Los Angeles (2023)
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1961|8|25}}{{cite web|url=https://juicemagazine.com/home/happy-birthday-steve-olson/| title=Happy Birthday Steve Olson| website= juicemagazine.com | date=26 August 2022}}
|title=
| birth_place = California, U.S.
| occupation = Skateboarder, contemporary artist
| alma_mater =
| website = | children = Alex Olson{{cite web|url=https://www.gq.com/story/pro-skater-alex-olson-wants-to-teach-you-to-breathe| title=StevePro Skater Alex Olson Wants to Teach You To Breathe| website=gq.com| date=17 November 2021}}
| spouse =
| other_names =
| years_active = 1966-present
}}
Steve Olson is a 1970s-1980s era American professional skateboarder and contemporary artist{{cite web|url=https://bowman-gallery.com/artists/steve-olson/| title=Olson| website=bowmangallery.com}} originally from Orange County, California.
In 1979, he was sponsored by Santa Cruz Skateboards, turning professional alongside of teammates Duane Peters and Steve Alba. Later the same year Olson would receive the Skateboarder Of The Year award.{{cite web|url= https://theyakmag.com/legend-steve-olson/
| title=LegensdSteve Olson| website= theyakmag.com | date=12 December 2018}}
Among his contributions to the culture, Olson is credited with first introducing the skateboarding world to Punk rock music.{{cite web|url= https://www.meettheleader.com/interviews/my-story-steve-olson
| title=Steve Olson| website= meettheleader.com | date=25 September 2019}}
In 2014, Olson was inducted into the Skateboarding Hall of Fame. Filmmaker and former professional skateboarder Stacy Peralta said of Olson's induction, “He was the first Vert skateboarding champion. He would show up to contests with the least amount of practice. But then he’d get this intense focus and would go out there and be flawless. And he never did the same thing twice.”{{cite web|url=https://skateboardinghalloffame.org/2020/04/steve-olson-2014/ | title=Steve | website=skateboardinghalloffame.org| date=21 April 2020 }}
Early life and career
Olson grew up in the town called Rossmoor, surfing and skateboarding in the
Orange County area.{{cite web|url=https://juicemagazine.com/home/steve-olson-2/|title=Steve Olson|website=juicemagazine.com|date=July 2000 }}
Art exhibitions
Olson's Contemporary Modernism artworks has been featured in exhibitions at spaces including; Medium Exchange Gallery (New York),{{cite web|url=https://ashadedviewonfashion.com/2022/05/18/305344/| title=Steve Olson at Medium Exchange in New York| website=ashadedviewonfashion.com| date=18 May 2022}} Diane Rosenstein Gallery (Los Angeles),{{cite web|url=https://hypebeast.com/2017/12/steve-olson-diane-rosenstein-its-all-good-exhibition| title=Look Inside Diane Rosenstein Gallery's New Steve Olson-Featuring Exhibition| website=hypebeast.com| date=5 December 2017}} Bowman Gallery (Beverly Hills),{{cite web|url=https://bowman-gallery.com/artists/steve-olson/
| title=Steve Olson | website=bowman-gallery.com}} and the Known Gallery (Los Angeles).{{cite web|url=https://www.juxtapoz.com/news/steve-olson-qhanginq-known-gallery-los-angeles/|title=Hangin' Steve Olson|website=juxtapoz.com}}
In 2015, some of his more controversial pieces such as "Buy Sexual" (2002) were censured from appearing at a public exhibition in Santa Barbara, California and were physically removed after they had already been installed.{{cite press release|url=https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/artist-and-skateboarder-steve-olsons-art-is-censored-in-santa-barbara----county-supervisors-office-staffer-physically-removes-piece-from-exhibit-300142387.html| title=Artist and Skateboarder Steve Olson's Art is Censored in Santa Barbara| website=prnewswire.com}}{{cite web|url=https://news.artnet.com/art-world/steve-olson-art-buy-sexual-333845
| title=Skateboard Legend Steve Olson's Art is Too Sexy for This Government Building| website=news.artnet.com| date=18 September 2015}}
In July 2023, Olson participated as a special guest artist in the Los Angeles art and music collective Surf Skate Roots Rock, reuniting with fellow skateboarding pioneers such as Tony Alva, Lance Mountain, Lonnie Toft, etc.{{cite web|url=https://juicemagazine.com/home/surf-skate-roots-rock-art-music-extravaganza/ | title=juicemagazine.com | website=lamag.com| date=2 July 2023 }}
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- [https://skateboardinghalloffame.org/2020/04/steve-olson-2014/The Skateboarding Hall of Fame]
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Olson, Steve}}
Category:American skateboarders