I am a classically trained visual artist and instructor in classical figurative painting and drawing.

I studied at the renowned Florence Academy of Art in Florence, Italy. I graduated in 2005 after four years of painting studies, specializing in portraiture.

I have over 20 years of experience as a painter and draftsman and am one of the country's most experienced instructors in a tradition that has relatively few professional practitioners in Norway. I was also a permanent faculty member and department head at the same academy where I studied from 2016 to 2020.

I am based in Verdal, where I run Per Olav Olsen Studio, a studio dedicated to classical figurative visual art and offering courses.