Biography

Vala Ola is an artist who passionately and relentlessly seeks to create artworks that show her dedication to
excellence. Her classical training in Europe is reflected in her art. Her figurative bronze sculptures are noted
for their depth of expression and emotion. The high quality of her sculpted form has earned her great respect
among art appreciators.
"The bronze gives me an opportunity to mold the sense of life into an everlasting form. From the force
of a muscle in motion to a tender human emotion expressed. That along with the abstract quality of
composition is what inspires me."
Vala Ola was born and raised in Iceland. She has lived in the US since 1994. After 8 years in Santa Fe,
NM, she relocated to Scottsdale, AZ. Vala Ola's artistic talent was apparent early on, and from the age of
thirteen she attended classes drawing models from life. Graduating from the College of Hamrahlid, she furthered
her studies at the Icelandic College of the Arts, and later graduated from The Arts Institute in
Bournemouth, England.
She won the Icelandic Design Excellence Award for the first time at the age of twenty-six. During her
studies in England, she was finalists at the Smithsonian Young Illustrator's Competition. She went on as her
country's sole representative at the Nordic Graphic & Illustration Awards. Moving to the United States in
1994, she changed her focus to portraiture, and found herself booked solid for the next 7 years painting
portraits in oil.
Vala rekindled her interest in sculpting 2001 and has won awards from the Allied Artist’s of America, the I
nternational Guild of Realism and placed as finalist at the Art renewal Center. She is an elected professional
member of the prestigious National Sculpture Society. Once a year she teaches a sculpting workshop at the
Scottsdale Artist’s School.
Her inspiration derives from her observation of life. Even the most mundane circumstance we find ourselves
in daily will spark an idea. The Flemish artist Vermeer would paint the simple act of pouring milk, elevating it
to a moment worth remembering for eternity, in a similar way Vala will look at a moment usually passed by
as moment worth noticing.
"All we have in life at any given time is the
very moment we are living and that moment
is of importance", Vala says. "I would like to
inspire myself and others to have awareness
and appreciation for our life."