Growing up at the dawn of “new media” Oli has always been comfortable crossing between and blending creative fields. In elementary school he began publishing his own independent magazines, where he gained early knowledge of desktop publishing and graphic design. As emerging tools were born for creative media authoring on the computer, Oli’s interests expanded to multimedia, web design and digital video.

While attending the ‘Claude Watson’ art program at Earl Haig Secondary School as a visual arts major, he involved himself in numerous projects to build these skills. There he developed and released Canada’s first CD-Rom ‘yeardisc’ in grade ten, documented his entire school in an elaborate QuickTime VR walkthrough, and created numerous prototypes for CD-Rom projects of his own such as the interactive 3d Children’s title “the Adventures of Parsley Man”. Working freelance on the side he also completed various design projects for companies ranging from Alliance Communications and Mövenpick Restaurants to Packard Bell NEC.

Oli’s interest in Fine Art also blossomed while at Claude Watson, where he found a receptive atmosphere to his explorations in the mixing of digital techniques with more traditional and painterly forms. Oli began building his art career outside of class, exhibiting his fine art in group and solo shows from the age of 16. Early opportunities, such as participation in the SVA’s Digital Salon in New York and Madrid, as well as the TOAE at home, and solo shows at Toronto’s East Queen Gallery helped lead to recognition for his work. In 1998 Oli was awarded the national YTV Achievement Award for visual art, later Oli was recognized through the Toronto Arts Awards protegé honours, and media attention such as a feature spot on TVO’s Studio2 soon followed.

Frustrated by the slow pace of York University’s Fine Art Cultural Studies program, and eager to get on with things, Oli left to join Toronto new-media company Bitcasters as Creative Director at age 19, where he helped build a brand recognized for its innovation and quality of work. Through this role he was responsible for the design and development of projects for major clients around the globe such as Miramax, Universal and Sony Music.

As always Oli persisted with a range of creative projects of his own such as making electronic music and publishing his first book “the Moral of the Story”. He continued to paint throughout this time, and in 2001 the art director for Sony Music Canada spotted his fine art. Oli landed the job of creating a comprehensive body of original packaging for Canadian recording artist “Our Lady Peace” for their album “Spiritual Machines”. Based on the success of the commission he was asked to create a music video for the track “In Repair”, an experimental animated piece that took the style of the album artwork and brought it to life through animation and stylized live motion.

The work’s innovation met with much acclaim, garnering 2 Juno Award nominations (for both the video and packaging) and 6 MuchMusic Video Award nominations - 3 of which it won including best director, best post production as well at the best video of the year award. It was also screened at SIGGRAPH.

The video brought Oli to the attention of Notorious Pictures in New York, who signed him to their roster of innovative broadcast and music video directors. Through his representation with Notorious Oli produced as series of innovative music videos and broadcast design projects, including Richard X’s track ‘Finest Dreams’ – featuring Kelis – which reached number one in the UK for a week.

In the fall of 2005 Oli was offered 'Artist in Residence' at the Drake Hotel in Toronto. During that time and on many occasions since he has performed groundbreaking live videomixing. Teaming up with Sol Friedman for a performance of collaborative video mixing and Oli's music during the first ever 'Nuit Blanche' at the Drake in Toronto.

Oli's fine art ambitions have come to the forefront in 2006, signing on with Gallery Jones in Vancouver and having several major exhibitions. His body of recent work has received much acclaim and collectors and critics have noted his advances in style and sophistication.

In August 2006 Oli was offered a senior design position at the CBC where he currently works in addition to continual output of artwork.

Recently Oli became engaged, and his fiancé Caroline Bacher – an accomplished sculptor and jewellery designer herself - is now representing him promotionally with his fine art endeavors. Oli and Caroline live in Toronto with their 4 crazy cats and continue to pursue both commercial and personal creative projects in as wide a range of media as ever.

He is pursuing more live and experimental video projects and will be releasing his first album online in the coming months.

 

selected exhibits

• GALLERY JONES. June 2006. Solo show. Vancouver.
• PARTS GALLERY. ‘Trophy.’ March 2006. Solo show. Toronto.
• MAHAN GALLERY. August 2005. Group Show. Ohio.
• DRAKE HOTEL. November 2004. Artist in Residence. Toronto.
• SAGAMIHARA ARTIST ASSOCIATION.
Sept. 2004. Group show. Sagamihara, JAPAN.
2 of Oli’s works are now owned by the Sagamihara city collection.
• PARTS GALLERY. June 2004. Solo show. Toronto.
• Loop Gallery. ‘loot’ January 2004. Solo Show. Toronto.
• MVPA, ARTFEST. August 2003. Showcase of Fine Art by Music
Video Industry directors. Los Angeles.
• EAST QUEEN GALLERY. Dec. 2003. Solo Show. Toronto.
• BITCAST LOFT. August 2002. Solo Show. Tribecca, NYC.
• Partners' Film Company. April - May 2002. Solo Show. Toronto.
• BUS GALLERY. Sept.1999. Group Show. Toronto.
• TOURISM TORONTO. Nov ‘98 - Jan ‘99. Queen’s Quay. Toronto.
• EAST QUEEN GALLERY. April 1998. Solo Show. Toronto
• Digital Salon. January 1998. Circulo de Bellas Artes, Madrid.
• EAST QUEEN GALLERY. December 1997. Solo Show. Toronto.
• SVA - the Visual Arts Museum. Digital Salon ‘97. NYC.

selected awards

• 6 MUCHMUSIC VIDEO AWARD Nominations (2001)
for Our Lady Peace “In Repair” music video.
(won best post production, best director and best video)
• 2 JUNO AWARD Nominations (2001)
for Our Lady Peace (best album artwork) and (best music video)
• Recipient of Arts Toronto ‘Protegé Honours for 2000
• 1998 YTV Achievement Award for Visual Arts