Bios

Jaime Olea

Jaime Raul Martin Olea-Gutierrez was born on September 30, 1978 to Julio Raul Olea and Clelia Gutierrez in the small, bohemian neighborhood of Barranco in Lima, Peru.  Olea, one of four brothers, was raised mainly by his maternal grandmother, Benjamina Uceda Castillo-Gutierrez, and spent much of his childhood engaged in outdoor activities (mainly surfing).  Although he began sketching and drawing at an early age, Olea took the business route and chose to study Hotel and Tourist Management at San Martin University in Lima, Peru. 

From 2002-2004, Olea traveled to Park City, Utah every winter season to work at the renowned ski resort.  In 2005, he then moved to the United States and worked in the real estate industry for a few years before transitioning to banking.  During this time period, Olea continued to study and immerse himself in art whenever possible.  This was obvious when entering his house which was full of paintings and sculptures in every room, as well as on walls, ceilings, floors, and tables.  Those who know this young artist well know that Olea has always had a true passion and unique talent for art and design.

It wasn’t until recently in 2011 that Olea decided to take the leap and focus on art professionally.  He left the banking business and began studying with a local mentor to explore various artistic techniques.  Olea and his mentor initially focused on the basics: landscapes and scenes of rural Virginia; however, the artist soon found that he prefers the natural flexibility of abstract art and the creativity of surrealism.  Most of his life, he has been attracted to artists like Picasso, Dali, and Pollock.  This has become the basis for most of Olea’s art: contemporary surrealism.  Moreover, this artist’s animated style and elaborate imagery depict a tenacious partnership of color and energy throughout his work, giving the viewer much to consider while observing each piece.

Other than art, Olea’s second passion is travel.  During his trips to Peru and various other areas of the Americas (United States, Canada, Colombia, Brazil, and Ecuador), Olea explores remote areas to enrich his understanding of nature and the world around us via hiking, rock-climbing, mountaineering, trekking, and biking (to name a few).  He says that ideas come to him all of the time, but much of his art is based on experiences he has had while traveling.  Olea’s goal as an artist is to share his experiences and work with others, as well as create a space where people can come to share their passions.  Therefore, Olea’s studio/gallery is a place of both active and passive imagination: the artist at work in his studio alongside the viewer observing the work in the gallery.      

Currently, Jaime Olea’s art is featured in both Virginia and New York.  Some of his earlier work was purchased by a prominent music talent agent from Manhattan and is on display in a 5th Avenue Midtown apartment.   

Clelia Gutierrez
Clelia Gutierrez Uceda de Olea (mother of Jaime Olea) was born and raised in Lima, Peru. As a young woman, Gutierrez studied at Universidad Pontificia Catolica to become a secretary; yet, she was always engaged in arts and crafts, weaving and crocheting whenever she could. For most of her life, Gutierrez worked as an office assistant while designing and selling her jewelry on the side.  In 2005, she began taking classes de plateria (silver crafting classes) to study the art of silver work. In the past year, she has decided to design and sell her unique, hand-woven silver and copper jewelry on a full-time basis.

Gutierrez uses 99% silver (the highest grade of silver with which one can work) for her pieces and integrates traditional artisan techniques into her designs. For example, she often uses Huairuro (a red seed found in the Peruvian Amazon) in her jewelry. Moreover, Gutierrez's work is influenced greatly by designs for the jewelry of Spanish and European royalty.  By combining both traditional and modern techniques into the features of her work, Gutierrez is able to construct her unique style of jewelry. Like snowflakes, no one is truly alike. In fact, these intricate, one-of-a-kind masterpieces depict a rare, handcrafted touch and each have a story of their own to tell.
  
Mirko Brito
Mirko Brito Salvador lives and works in Huaraz, Peru: a city at the base of the Andes Mountains.  He began selling his macramé and stone jewelry in an artisan market in Huaraz as a side job to help fund his archeology degree.  However, Brito soon realized that his unique work was popular both domestic and international tourist.  So, in 2010 he decided to put his studies on hold for a couple of years and expanded his business into a full-time venture.  This year, 2012, Brito is back working on his degree at the University of Huaraz while continuing to design and craft his beautiful, unique handmade jewelry.

BLOG:
FACEBOOK:
  
Handmade is Better: 
This is Art Wasi which means “house of art” (in Quechua), a place dedicated to macramé work (knotted art): the best of the best in exclusive designs all handmade.  Here you will find something more than “bijouterie” (French jewels): an art converted into unique and authentic handmade jewelry by using stones, seeds, shells, among other materials that are a gift from mother nature and her perfect alliance (the string).  Jewelry that jumped from the imagination to stay in reality.  
~by Mirko Brito Salvador  

es mejor hecho a mano  
este es artwasi cullo significado es casa del arte (wasi- en leguna nativa quechua significa casa) , un lugar dedicado a hacer trabajos en macrame ( arte de los nudos ), lo mejor de lo mejor en diseños exclusivos, todos elavorados a mano., aqui encontraras algo mas que bisuteria un arte convertido en verdaderas y autenticas joyas hechas a mano, elaboradas con piedras, semillas, conchas y de mas implementos que son un regalo de la naturaleza y su aliado perfecto el hilo..... joyas que saltaron de la imaginacion para quedarse en la realidad....  
~ por Mirko Brito Salvador

No comments:

Post a Comment