Olivia Williams Interview

Interview with Olivia Williams

Olivia Williams

"Artist"

I'm excited about this interview for a number of reasons. First, because I love meeting people through different channels, and my son (AKA Manchild) "found" Olivia and sent me a note saying that she looked like a good interview prospect.

Also, she's a force - she's passionate about her art, about helping people, about life. Her site's motto: "Love Your Life, Make Good Art, Live Your Dreams" sums up the way she lives.

She's an artist - a young artist with heart and drive! I think Olivia Williams will be a name - she has those qualities (I'm thinking of properties mentioned in Stephen R. Covey's book The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People) you see in people who become known for their work.

Olivia was raised in Georgia (hence the Peach reference in her site name - oliviapeach.com) now living, working and getting known in New York.

How Do You See Yourself as a Square-Peg?

I've always been different. My whole life.

In 5th grade I had popular type kids as friends, but I never felt connected with them. Then I met 3 friends who were different, too...they were different and wonderful and smart - nice girls. They were my crew, my group. I look back at that time as a defining moment in my life. I didn't want to fit in. I didn't want to be like all the other girls.

Olivia first came to New York when she was 19.

It was an adventure. At one point I was homeless. Strangers can make such a difference in your life. I lived with a variety of friends, lived for awhile in New Jersey. It changed my life...DIfferent people I'd met helped me along the way.

Olivia spoke of another difference she's noted in herself:

I have a passion for communication. Lots of artists are introverted, it's hard to get them out of their shells. I'm fearless - I'm good at communication.

When Olivia talked to me about what she is trying to do with her art and her love of art in all forms, I had this "vision" of her as an artistic version of Dr Seuss' "The Lorax who speaks for the trees". Olivia is the artist who speaks for Art.

In high school...I didn't have a lot of friends...I was in my own little art world. I've always been a little different. It's like I said: "I'm going to hang out with the different kids, they'll teach me a lot about life."

When I got out of college I wondered "What will I do for a job?" I became a part-time nanny. My friends get real paychecks and real W-2's, but I don't want to work in an office.

It's one way I'm different. When I got out of school I really felt like I wanted to exhibit art work. Lots of people didn't stick with painting - with manual art work - but I stuck with art even though it can be tough.

I guess I'm holding my own, not giving up. It's a juggle and it makes me different. When other people are going out, I'm home painting and working on art work. I'm not saying that I don't ever go out. And it's not just about the work. I enjoy doing it, it's a form of expression.

How Do You Maintain Your Square-Pegness (in a round-hole world)?

I always had my art. In grade school other kids thought I traced pictures, when they found out I could draw they'd ask me to teach them. I was an artistic prodigy to a lot of teachers. Art was something that I did that made me stand out.

In middle school I blended in more, not so outstanding. But in high school I got serious about art. I entered competitions.

Olivia talked about her art - which, obviously, helps her maintain her Square-Pegness:

The best way to express myself is through fine arts. I use alot of metaphor - to talk about what's really going on in the world.

She spoke of a painting she's working on now:

...it has Koi fish swimming in one direction, but one in the middle is going in opposite direction.

One I made earlier has roses as people - girls - in contorted shapes. It's sort of floral. Some aren't fully rendered, some are. Roses are multifaceted, like people and life...we have so many layers. A lot of people don't see the beautiful layers. We need to become more beautiful inside and out.

That's exactly what I'm here to do - I want to make sure I do all of it. It's so important to find that balance between creativity and helping people. So much of the time people who are creative have such a heart. They give their life to their art. Some people don't even get their work seen, but they keep doing it to express themselves, their opinions, views, world issues.

Olivia credits her mother with with inspiring her (she even did a YouTube video called "I love my mother"):

My mother is a huge inspiration in my life, she was orphaned at 10, and overcame so many hardships (abuse, poverty), she is very creative and multi-talented..My mother used to paint, play music to us, and really inspired my sister and me, she made sure we did what we loved.

Another inspiration was a professor Olivia studied with for one semester:

...James Barness...he does huge, huge paintings. His work is very inspiring to me. It involves spirituality, politics, the cycle of life...

themes similar to Olivia's own.

He told me "If you are very serious about your work, transfer to a school that will challenge you." That's probably the best advice any teacher had ever given me. I came up to NY, which was a great opportunity.

Olivia graduated from the School of Visual Arts in New York and says:

Over the years I've been doing group juried exhibitions and slowly but surely I get more and more shows each year. I'm applying for my Master's now.

What Has Been the Hardest For You as a Square-Peg?

...attending the University of GA I had a bad accident. A drunk driver hit me, my sternum was broke. It changed my life. I felt in a slump. Then 9/11 happened. The duality of those events...was shattering to me. I felt a deep connection with people who didn't know me but had helped me - to a place that gave me such good memories. I figured out that art was the best way to heal...from what had happened.

...I was all about my art. I dealt with anxiety and depression for awhile. Asking "What am I doing with my life, what is it all about" I figured it's about helping people, it's about doing what you're here to do. And art has been a significant pull in my life. No matter what I did I would always come back to art. I have to express myself and my feelings about life and people and our connection with things and the world - this delicate balance.

What Is Your Favorite Square-Peg Trait?

I didn't ask Olivia this question - but I'm guessing she'd say that her favorite trait was her heart - her desire to help. The video that led my son to suggest that we ask Olivia Williams for an interview was one where she spoke of "Art for Fire", a fundraising project that she and two friends (Olivia Williams, Diane Desimone and Kristen Teranna - pictured below l to r) set up.

...when the wild fires {in California, 2007} were happening - they were on the news and it was devastating. I hoped they didn't get handled like Katrina. I had been thinking about if I had a million dollars - how I'd want to fund things to help people - and I told myself: "Why not now?"

I told my friend Kristen: "I have an idea"...we talked with Diane...and we came up with Art for Fire.

We're looking forward to growing as a team, as artists, using creative ideas to help raise awareness and money for similar causes...we're still taking submissions and looking at making this into a non-profit organization...We want to do a not-for-profit seminar - learn more about that. Even if we fall flat on our faces, we're doing it.

Olivia has been helping for awhile.

In high school I did missionary work. The first year we went to Jamaica to build houses in a deaf village. It was a very humbling experience.

She also told me about a group she'd started at the School of Visual Arts:

...we had all these classes with women..I said to Kristen: "Let's start a group for girls." I felt there was cattiness and jealousy and I wanted to break that down.I wanted to say: "We're some amazing ladies, we've got talent, we're awesome ladies. We could do something more with this." We got the word out and 15 girls came to the first meeting. A lot of people wanted to know what it was about. We talked about learning about your fellow female. We went to galleries together, had talks about different aspects of feminism. We kept the group going for a year...We broke down so many social boundaries.

What Are Your Favorite Books?

I love all forms of art - all expressions of art. It's what makes the world go round. {Giggling} Sincerely! Even the toughest lawyer has one song he gets down to - does the Funky Chicken to. There's one thing that's so beautiful it makes the toughest businessman or woman cry.

My art is very much connected with music and literature.

I like different stuff - a little bit of everything. I like Alice Sebold, Lorrie Moore, Charles De Lint's Forests of the Heart, Maus by Art Spiegelman, was one the best graphic novels...about his grandfather's life during the holocaust...it's powerfully illustrated, and made me realize how much a person can say with art.

Roald Dahl's Matilda was one of my fav books as a child and young adult. Matilda was an outsider overcoming obstacles with her "superhuman genius" abilities, who doesn't want to be a hero to the underdog.

Music: I really love Ani DiFranco, Bob Dylan. I really like musicians whose lyrics are haunting and timeless.

What can a Square-Peg learn from Olivia?

Though Olivia's young, she's wise!

Olivia seeks out challenge for the sake of growth. This story that illustrates that (and is something I can definitely use more of in my life):

At a college orientation I was told that there were two classes to choose from - two professors. One was a man who students had trouble with. I was advised to take a class with the "nicer" one.

I said: "No, give me the one who yells. I want to be challenged, I want to learn." One of the first things he said to me in class was "What are you painting? It looks like you're painting a house with those strokes." I earned his respect. For our Final we had to turn in paintings. The paintings I'd done - which I worked on every Sunday - he flipped out over. He said they were "the most beautiful things I've ever seen."

She asks for feedback because she wants to grow:

I go right up to people at a gallery looking at my painting and ask "What do you think? Be honest." I know that some people won't like it. I have to listen. In response to something someone might say about a painting I'll ask myself: "Why did I do that?"

She's adventurous, which showed at an early age.

There's a story that I escaped from home - had plenty of places I could have gone - in the yard, anywhere...but I went straight down the driveway and up the street. I wasn't even one, I was crawling. My mom said "I guess she's got a mission. She's on the road, doesn't know where she's going, but she's on her way." My mom says she knew then that I'd be that way...I've never really been afraid to "just do it".

She's kept going - even when she wasn't quite sure what she wanted. Olivia changed colleges (and states) three times until she found a "fit". She reflects on her life and talks about different experiences (she mentioned "defining moments" and "humbling experiences" several times) being chances to learn - even when things are hard.

Olivia has a big heart - she's willing to live vulnerably (showing us her heart) - in her art work and her projects. And she's persistent - she shows up and does the work (in making her art, in finding galleries and shows, and in her projects) repeatedly.

Watch for Olivia Williams' name, I predict you're going to see and hear a lot about her! You find more of Olivia's work at Olivia Peach.com.

Editor's note: Olivia's Art For Fire project has been discontinued - and she's no longer in NYC - go check out her site to keep up with her!).

Some of Olivia's Favorite Books:

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Interview originally published January 2008 on Square-Peg-People.com; re-published May 2010.

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