Painting holiday magic
Humboldt artist returns for new season of festive window art
-Submitted photo <br> Humboldt artist Kelsey Olson designed and painted windows at the historic Palmer House in Sauk Centre, Minnesota with a theme around the classic movie "It’s A Wonderful Life."
-Submitted photo <br>Humboldt artist Kelsey Olson designed and painted an exterior mural at The Paw Spa, a pet grooming business in Emmetsburg.
-Submitted photo <br>Humboldt artist Kelsey Olson designed and painted interactive children' s activities for the upcoming Christmasland event.
-Submitted photo <br> Humboldt artist Kelsey Olson designed and painted windows at the historic Palmer House in Sauk Centre, Minnesota with a theme around the classic movie "It’s A Wonderful Life."
-Submitted photo <br>Humboldt artist Kelsey Olson designed and painted an exterior mural at The Paw Spa, a pet grooming business in Emmetsburg.
-Submitted photo <br>Humboldt artist Kelsey Olson designed and painted interactive children' s activities for the upcoming Christmasland event.
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HUMBOLDT -- One year ago, Kelsey Olson was learning how to turn business windows into holiday canvases. This year, her artwork has taken her across state lines and brought her back to a childhood favorite, where she is giving young visitors something they can touch, explore and enjoy.
The Humboldt artist behind Paint By Kelsey is entering her second holiday window-painting season with new projects, growing confidence and a goal of making painting her full-time career.
"It has been a very busy and rewarding year of trusting myself and my ability to create and organize everything," said Olson.
Last year, Olson painted Christmas scenes on more than a dozen area businesses' windows, bringing Santas, Grinch characters and other seasonal designs to the community. She also contributed a mural at Christmasland, the longtime holiday attraction operated by the Humboldt Dakota City Kiwanis. That project led to a connection that has grown well beyond painting.
"As for Christmasland, I decided to join the Humboldt Dakota City Kiwanis after painting there last year," said Olson. "I loved the people and their mission. I also grew up going to Christmasland every year with my family, so it is a special place to me."
At a club meeting, Olson suggested adding interactive activities to complement the displays children view during their visits. With the club's approval, she began repurposing wall activities from her in-home daycare that many of the children had outgrown.
Drawing inspiration from Christmas coloring pages of the 1990s, Olson designed, cut and painted wooden elements to incorporate into the activities. Having grown up in a construction family, she was already comfortable working with a jigsaw, drill and sander.
"Getting them hung up for kids to play with while they visit Christmasland has been really rewarding," said Olson. "It feels special to add something of my own to a place I've enjoyed since I was a kid."
Her holiday work has also taken her to The Palmer House Hotel in Sauk Centre, Minnesota, where she painted the family from the classic film "It's a Wonderful Life."
The opportunity grew out of her participation in an arts festival window-painting event in Sauk Centre. Olson was paired with Dave Schrader, the hotel's caretaker, and traveled there to paint for the festival. Schrader later contacted her to ask if she painted realism.
"I told him I could, but I hadn't done it on a window yet," said Olson. "He trusted me and hired me to come back and paint the family from 'It's a Wonderful Life' for the holiday season."
Olson brought her daughter along for the return trip, stayed at the hotel and completed the painting in one day.
"I was super proud of that one," she said. "I just trusted myself, didn't overthink it and got it done."
The project was one of several this year that pushed Olson to try something new.
In February, she volunteered her time to design and paint a mural at Terrace Learning Center, a preschool in Ankeny. By late May, she was painting patriotic windows celebrating America's 250th anniversary.
One of those projects, at BT Auto in Dakota City, held particular meaning for her, because the owners help rescue dogs. Olson incorporated patriotic dogs and cats alongside the message "Adopt Don't Shop."
Other assignments have included advertising windows, a window painting celebrating a marriage, school banners, a sign for her daughter's Kids Makers Mart and designs for Humboldt's Cy Hawk event. She also painted Halloween windows at the Humboldt County Sheriff's Office.
In September, Olson took on an exterior mural at The Paw Spa, a pet grooming business in Emmetsburg. The project came with an unexpected lesson when a downpour arrived shortly after she had painted part of the wall. She adjusted her plans and finished the mural as she had envisioned it.
"It was a big undertaking and I absolutely loved the process of getting a mural up on the wall and sharing my art and talents with other people," said Olson.
She fits that work around running a small in-home daycare and raising four children. During the summer, she also sold 3D-printed items at the Humboldt Farmers Market.
"I am a pretty busy woman, but I wish I could be doing even more painting," she said.
This season, Olson has also taken over organizing the Humboldt and Dakota City Lighted Christmas Parade, scheduled for 5:30 p.m. Nov. 21.
Meanwhile, more holiday and winter windows are on her calendar. Some existing paintings will receive winter additions, while new designs will feature reindeer, snowflakes, garland, bows, a nutcracker and a mouse king.
Olson said she still has room for additional projects and has indoor work planned for when temperatures make outdoor painting impractical.
"My main goal is still to make painting my full time job," said Olson.