Volume 16 Issue 1 » 27
ART
PAINTING
BIG
OLA VOLO
Words by Melissa Mak
Photos courtesy of Ola Volo & Simon White
»
It’s not every day someone
writes a song and names
it after you. Not only was
Kazakh-Canadian artist and
muralist Ola Volo the subject
of Juno award-winning
Canadian indie rock singer-
songwriter Matt Mays’ song,
Ola Volo, she was also the
designer and artist for his
album cover art.
Many individuals have found inspiration in
Volo’s elaborate murals, found sprawled all
over Metro Vancouver and internationally.
You, too, may have come across one
of her many murals on a stroll in the
South Granville area, or have seen her
breathtaking illustrations on the Vancouver
Opera Festival posters earlier this year. Her
creations are often edgy and urban, with
a unique style that makes them instantly
recognizable as her work.
Earlier this year, the previously Vancouver-
based Volo unveiled the largest mural
painted by a woman in Canada, in the heart
of Montréal. OpenRoad Driver caught up
with her in between projects to get personal
about the inspiration for her work, her
passion for illustrations, and life on the go.