The Art of Bob Olszewski
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The Storytime Collection is the creation of Robert Olszewski, the premier miniature artist of our time. In the last 20 years, Robert has won many awards, including Artist of Year, Miniature Figurine of the Year, and Award of Excellence. He has mounted 3 museum presentations. In 1968 he graduated from the University of Indiana in Pennsylvania and moved to California to teach. In the late 1970’s, he began making miniature figurines. In 1979 he and Goebel co-founded the Goebel Miniature Studios. He was chief artist for Goebel Miniature Studios from 1979 to 1994. In 1994 he left Goebel and founded Olszewski Studios to further explore the miniature art form. Along the way, he created several sets of Disney miniature figurines for Goebel, the very popular Dress for Cinderelly figurine for WDCC, and miniatures for the Enchanted Places. Robert learned that collectors will buy figurines that are not perfectly proportional to each other. This experience freed him from making only in-scale miniatures, but larger pieces that better capture the magic of the scene. He perfected the painting of pewter and resin to look like porcelain. He perfected the painting of human eyes. He brings all these experiences to the Storytime Collection.
At every event that Olszewski attends, the popularity of the Storytime Collection grows. During collectibles shows at Anaheim, Rosemont, and NFFC Convention, collectors are discovering these extraordinary figurines and buying them. One Disney fan remarked, "The display case is full of nose prints. People are pressing against the case to see the figurines." Collectors were vaguely familiar with Olszewski’s name. "Oh, he the guy that makes those nice looking but expensive miniature figurines." Now that the figurines are priced very reasonable, collectors are giving him a second look and like what they see. Olszewski’s popularity will grow further at the Official Disneyana Convention in September. He is an invited artist at the Convention and has been commissioned to create a scene of Steamboat Willie. Instead of making another Steamboat Willie figurine, Robert created a theater where characters from Steamboat Willie are watching the movie of Steamboat Willie. The theater approach is another of his creations.
Olszewski's Steamboat Willie piece for the Official
Disneyana Convention
Robert concludes, "I like to make every piece a little different." He continues to create.
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-- Posted August 31, 2001
-- Story by Warren Lee