UPCOMING EVENTS - MARIN OPEN STUDIOS 2025
Outland Gallery is proud to be part of the Marin Open Studios Preview Gallery, a unique opportunity to view work from all 275 participating artists in one space before the studio tours begin. Hosted at the Sausalito Center for the Arts, the Preview Gallery will be exhibiting work by artist and gallery owner Mark Olson – be sure to stop by and get inspired.
Preview Dates: Friday April 25 – Sunday May 11
Hours: 11 am – 5 pm
Location: Sausalito Center for the Arts, 750 Bridgeway, Sausalito, CA
Following the preview, visit us in person for Marin Open Studios, now in its 32nd year. Outland Gallery invites you to experience the newest work by Mark Olson during this two-weekend celebration of local creativity. Whether you’re discovering art for the first time or deepening your collection, we welcome you to explore, connect, and be moved.
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Following the preview, Outland Gallery is proud to participate in the 32nd Annual Marin Open Studios. This May, step inside and experience the newest works by artist and gallery owner Mark Olson, alongside a vibrant community of local talent. Outland Gallery exists to spotlight contemporary art and foster connection – between artists, collectors, and curious minds alike. Whether you’re visiting for the first time or returning for inspiration, you’re invited to explore, engage, and be moved.
Marin Open Studios Hours:
Saturday May 3 – Sunday May 4, 11 am – 6 pm
Saturday May 10 – Sunday May 11, 11 am – 6pm
Location: Outland Gallery, 7 Mark Drive, San Rafael, CA
VISIT OUTLAND GALLERY
Outland Gallery is located in San Rafael’s industrial arts corridor—just minutes off Highway 101 and about 20 minutes north of San Francisco. Off the beaten path, though definitely worth the detour. Outland is part of the Mark Drive Studios, a collective where artists of all disciplines come together to create and inspire.
7 Mark Drive, San Rafael, CA 94901
ABOUT THE OWNER
Mark Olson is a Marin-based painter whose abstract work explores the intersection of memory, emotion, and environment. His paintings are known for their layered compositions, dynamic brushwork, and subtle interplay of color and form. Working primarily in acrylic and mixed media, Mark’s art reflects a push and pull between control and chaos—a visual echo of the landscapes, moods, and moments that inspire him.
Rooted in both the natural and built environments of Northern California, Mark’s work often evokes a sense of place without depicting it directly. His paintings feel at once familiar and abstract, inviting viewers to bring their own interpretations to the surface.
ALSO INCLUDE?
Dramatic, gestural dialog and the dynamic interplay of brilliant colors on a large scale best characterize the work of painter Mark Olson. An MFA graduate from California College of the Arts in San Francisco, Olson’s work with acrylic paint and soft pastel on both canvas and wood panels has been featured in homes, businesses and galleries in the United States as well as Europe. “Color has its own set of visual rules and expectations,” Olson says, “the best part about painting is exploring ways to take those rules apart or just plain break them.”
ALSO INCLUDE?
Artist Statement
I see my paintings as records of a dialog between visual energy flows that I initially set in motion, like skipping stones on a still lake, but with color beginning on the open field of an empty canvas. My color choices are never random - they always come from some element or aspect or experience in my daily life, although beyond that elements of chance and randomness are deeply woven in my creative process. If you really look, there are many color journeys to be found and explored in my paintings. Without the distractions of identifying familiar physical objects, the confrontation with deep flows of creative energy becomes an encounter that pulls the viewer out of passive reverie and into a direct experience of being present in the moment with a work of art.
Biography
I’m a painter, and I live and work in San Rafael, California. I work mostly with acrylic paint, soft pastels, and pure pigment on canvas, but I sometimes incorporate other elements in my paintings, too. I also photograph. I’m very fortunate to live nearby nature, and I find the hills, forests, and shores close to home to be an endless source of inspiration.
In addition to his work as an artist, Mark is the founder and curator of Outland Gallery, an independent exhibition space located in San Rafael’s industrial arts district. Outland is dedicated to showcasing bold, contemporary work and building creative community outside the traditional art scene.
