Ola Volo

Ola Volo is a Kazakh Canadian artist,[1] best known as a public muralist.[2] Her style blends aspects of Eastern European folk art with a focus on pattern and narrative to depict fantasy scenes.[3]

Born in Kazakhstan, she moved to Canada with her family at age 10, and studied art at Emily Carr University of Art and Design.[1]

Volo has been commissioned by companies like Hootsuite, Lululemon, and Starbucks[4] and has created numerous works around the Vancouver area where she previously resided.

In 2021, Volo was asked to create mural to bring awareness to the rise of abuse against women due to COVID-19.

Career

Her work has included neighbourhood murals and corporate commissioned work in Vancouver,[1] the Mackey Building in Sudbury as part of the 2016 Up Here Festival,[5] and Walla Volo in Montreal's Mile End neighbourhood, the largest mural in Canada painted by a woman.[6]

She designed the cover art for Matt Mays' album Once Upon a Hell of a Time,[7] and is the subject of the album's song "Ola Volo".[8]

Volo's art has been used as product labels such as the ones for Doan’s Craft Brewing Company located in East Vancouver[1] as well as painting a mural for the company's tasting room.[9]

In 2017, Volo created a mural for the Forge, a parking area located in Granville Island. Despite being a muralist, exhibiting her process live while in the presence of visitors as well as interacting with them was new to Volo.[4]

She participated in the National Newspaper Week in 2021 by designing a print[10][11] to spread awareness about the importance and reliability provided by newspapers.[12]

Personal life

Due to Volo’s popularity in Vancouver, it led to a brief break from the city and a new studio set up in Montréal. The stay in the city allowed Volo rest and time to reflect[1] as well as inspiration for her WALLA VOLO mural.[13]

YWCA Wall For Women

Located at Hyatt Regency along Burrard Street is Volo’s mural called Wall for Women. With the familiar influence of Eastern European folk art present in Volo’s works,[14] this mural was done with the intention to spread awareness on the rise in relationship violence against women which has been a prevalent issue during COVID-19 as well as a symbol of empowerment.[15]

Integrated in the mural are five QR codes containing information about domestic abuse as well as a way to donate and provide aid to women suffering from mistreatment.[14]

List of Works
  • Arts Factory mural (2016)[1]
  • Mural for Up Here Festival (2016)
  • Doan’s Craft Beer Company labels and mural (2016)
  • Granville Island mural (2017)
  • Walla Volo (2019)[16]
  • YWCA Wall For Women (2021)[14]
  • Champions (2021)[17]

References
  1. Smith, Janet (17 August 2016). "Vancouver artist Ola Volo splashes stories upon walls". The Georgia Straight. Archived from the original on 17 July 2019. Retrieved 22 October 2022.
  2. Boyce, Maryse (3 June 2019). "Ola Volo : la muraliste qui a changé le visage du Mile End". Voir (in Canadian French). Archived from the original on 17 July 2019. Retrieved 22 October 2022.
  3. Mitchell, Grady (21 March 2014). "On Anthropomorphism & The Vague Dreams Of Ola Volo's Childhood". Scout Magazine. Archived from the original on 17 July 2019. Retrieved 22 October 2022.
  4. Conner, Shawn (16 February 2017). "Winterruption brings public art, comedy, music and more to Granville Island". Vancouver Sun. Archived from the original on 18 February 2017. Retrieved 18 March 2022.
  5. Myers, Ella Jane (15 August 2018). "Virtual Up Here mural walk: Check out their murals year-round!". Sudbury. Archived from the original on 17 July 2019. Retrieved 22 October 2022.
  6. Jadah, Ty (8 May 2019). "Drone footage captures progress of historic new mural in Montreal (VIDEO) | Curated". Daily Hive. Archived from the original on 17 July 2019. Retrieved 22 October 2022.
  7. Saxberg, Lynn (13 September 2017). "CityFolk Preview: Matt Mays returns with new music". Ottawa Citizen. Archived from the original on 17 July 2019. Retrieved 22 October 2022.
  8. Schlanger, Talia (4 September 2018). "Matt Mays On World Cafe". NPR. Archived from the original on 17 July 2019. Retrieved 22 October 2022.
  9. Lau, Lucy (18 May 2016). "Local artists add visual flair to Vancouver's craft-beer scene". The Georgia Straight. Archived from the original on 24 May 2022. Retrieved 18 March 2022.
  10. Jolly, Brent (23 September 2021). "Counting down the days until to National Newspaper Week with Ola Volo and News Media Canada". News Media Canada. Archived from the original on 18 May 2022. Retrieved 22 October 2022.
  11. Jolly, Brent (23 June 2022). "News Media Canada wins another award for its National Newspaper Week campaign". News Media Canada. Archived from the original on 22 October 2022. Retrieved 22 October 2022.
  12. Harris, Aleesha (1 October 2021). "Canadian artist Ola Volo lends support to National Newspaper Week campaign". Vancouver Sun. Archived from the original on 3 November 2021. Retrieved 18 March 2022.
  13. "Walla Volo". Art Public Montréal. 2019. Archived from the original on 18 May 2021. Retrieved 18 March 2022.
  14. "To Break Down the Walls of Violence, We Painted a Wall of Hope". YWCA. 15 March 2021. Archived from the original on 22 January 2022. Retrieved 18 March 2022.
  15. Laborie, Aurore (15 March 2021). "New 42-foot mural raising awareness about gender-based violence unveiled in Vancouver". Daily Hive. Archived from the original on 18 March 2022. Retrieved 18 March 2022.
  16. Jadah, Ty (24 May 2019). "New 15,000 sq ft mural unveiled in Mile End last night (PHOTOS) | Curated". Daily Hive. Archived from the original on 12 April 2022. Retrieved 22 October 2022.
  17. Jolly, Brent (19 January 2022). "News Media Canada members can get a limited-edition 'Champions' print". News Media Canada. Archived from the original on 18 May 2022. Retrieved 22 October 2022.


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