Diane Olsen

Diane Olsen

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Whitehorse, Yukon

Beadwork

Diane Olsen is a Gwich’in/Northern Tutchone, and Han Hwech’in descendent born in Mayo, Yukon, currently living in Whitehorse with her family. Diane’s creative inspirations come from her passion to create beautiful pieces with northern traditional flair with a modern twist.
Both her mother and late grandmother are her greatest inspirations to create wonderful works of art using beads, porcupine quills and moose hair. Diane enjoys learning new skills and techniques to enhance her creations. As she is creating her work, Diane hears her mother’s voice in the background “if you are not happy with your work, take it apart and redo it”. Sometimes this could be 2 to 4 times. Therefore, Diane takes great pride in her creations.
Diane has participated in the several Adaka Cultural Festival as an artist and hosting beading workshops. The Yukon Permanent Art Collection has acquired nine Traditional First Nations Dog Blanket in June 2017, one of which was sewn by Diane. Other collaboration art creations include Yukon Quest Official Finishing Patch in February 2018 and 2 podium panels for the Kwanlin Dun Centre and Yukon Quest in 2019.
She along with other artists have sewn the “Becoming: Celebrating the Communal Growth of Yukon University” panel for the Yukon University. In 2020, Diane was an instructor for the Yukon First Nations Art Program at the Yukon University Mayo Campus and the Fine Crafts module in the Carcross Campus in 2021. Diane has also sewn a panel with the NNDFN’s logo for her First Nations.
In 2022, Diane, along with other members of the KDCC sewing group has collaborated and sewn a few projects such as a beaded smoked moose skin for the Commissioners Office and the CYFN Logo pins for the 50th Anniversary signing of the Umbrella Final Agreement.
In 2023, Diane has recruited other Yukon artists to sew a beaded leather cover for the Yukon Order Medal for the Commissioners Office, orange and red dress earrings for the Dana Naye Ventures and 500 red dress pins for the National Aboriginal Capital Corporations Association.