Steve Olson (skateboarder and artist)

Steve Olson is a 1970s-1980s era American professional skateboarder and contemporary artist[3] originally from Orange County, California.

Steve Olson
Olson in Los Angeles (2023)
Born (1961-08-25) August 25, 1961[1]
California, U.S.
Occupation(s)Skateboarder, contemporary artist
Years active1966-present
ChildrenAlex Olson[2]

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.[4]

Among his contributions to the culture, Olson is credited with first introducing the skateboarding world to Punk rock music.[5]

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.”[6]

Early life and career

Olson grew up in the town called Rossmoor, surfing and skateboarding in the Orange County area.[7]

Art exhibitions

Olson's Contemporary Modernism artworks has been featured in exhibitions at spaces including; Medium Exchange Gallery (New York),[8] Diane Rosenstein Gallery (Los Angeles),[9] Bowman Gallery (Beverly Hills),[10] and the Known Gallery (Los Angeles).[11]

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.[12][13]

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.[14]

References
  1. "Happy Birthday Steve Olson". juicemagazine.com.
  2. "StevePro Skater Alex Olson Wants to Teach You To Breathe". gq.com.
  3. "Olson". bowmangallery.com.
  4. "LegensdSteve Olson". theyakmag.com.
  5. "Steve Olson". meettheleader.com.
  6. "Steve". skateboardinghalloffame.org.
  7. "Steve Olson". juicemagazine.com.
  8. "Steve Olson at Medium Exchange in New York". ashadedviewonfashion.com.
  9. "Look Inside Diane Rosenstein Gallery's New Steve Olson-Featuring Exhibition". hypebeast.com.
  10. "Steve Olson". bowman-gallery.com.
  11. "Hangin' Steve Olson". juxtapoz.com.
  12. "Artist and Skateboarder Steve Olson's Art is Censored in Santa Barbara". prnewswire.com.
  13. "Skateboard Legend Steve Olson's Art is Too Sexy for This Government Building". news.artnet.com.
  14. "juicemagazine.com". lamag.com.
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