<img height="1" width="1" style="display:none" src="https://www.facebook.com/tr?id=238369200684020&amp;ev=PageView&amp;noscript=1">
OLSON_colour

 

A course for creatives looking to find their calm, led by artist and forest therapy guide Karen Olson.

Reclaim your focus, and find your flow.

Enrolments close 4 May 2025.
Payment plans available.

SELF-PACED | LIFETIME ACCESS | 8 WEEKS TUTOR SUPPORT | PRIVATE ONLINE COMMUNITY

I took a course with Karen Olson last summer and was impressed. She was very prepared, brought a lot of material for the course and was very good at demonstrating to us all as well as helping us individually. Highly recommend it.

- Vivian Pratt

Karen is one of those artists who  understands how to teach other artists. That is to say, she is technically helpful and clear, as well as knowing how to gently and gracefully make safe space for others to fulfill their own vision. Her work is inspiring, and so is she. 

- Jen Appleby

Karen Olson was just about the best thing that ever happened to me. At 70, I thought I never had and never would have a creative bone in my body. What joy and delight to find something inside me, at long last, which I took to like ducks to water. 

You cannot find a better inspirational teacher anywhere, in my humble opinion.

-Catharine McCann

I took a course with Karen Olson last summer and was impressed. She was very prepared, brought a lot of material for the course and was very good at demonstrating to us all as well as helping us individually. Highly recommend it.

- Vivian Pratt

Karen is one of those artists who  understands how to teach other artists. That is to say, she is technically helpful and clear, as well as knowing how to gently and gracefully make safe space for others to fulfill their own vision. Her work is inspiring, and so is she. 

- Jen Appleby

Learn the art of mindful photography, papermaking, and printing, and create your own delicate paper sculptures
and vessels.

There is growing research that supports what artists have always known: Time in nature restores our nervous system. Making art helps us heal.

Karen Olson Focus and Flow (2)-1

When the world feels overwhelming, the simple act of making can help you find clarity, purpose, and peace.

Art lets you process complex emotions and experiences without having to “solve” them outright. It can help you express things words cannot - whether it’s fear, grief, hope, or rage. And art can soothe your nervous system, shift your perspective, and reconnect you to a sense of meaning – even when life feels messy or uncertain.

In Focus and Flow, you’ll pair photography, papermaking, papersculpting, and printing with forest bathing to create a sustainable art practice that supports you to keep showing up - without burning out.

In a world that often feels very rushed and disconnected, finding ways to slow down and sync with nature is more important than ever.

- Karen Olson


 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Focus and Flow offers you not only an art education, but a philosophical shift towards mindfulness and presence in your art and your life.

Karen Olson finding focus in the woods

Reclaim your focus.

Overcome creative overwhelm, and learn how to regulate your nervous system through forest bathing so you can create from a place of calm and clarity.
Focus and Flow GIF Olson painting

Find your flow.

Inspiration is not a prerequisite for creativity. Karen will show you practical ways to create the optimal conditions to tap into your flow anytime.

Create mixed media artwork.

Learn expressive photography, papermaking and printing, then bring it all together to create your own paper sculptures and vessels.

Learn how to combine hands-on art-making with nature-based eco-art practices, and build your own restorative art practice.

You don’t need a forest to go forest bathing.

Don’t worry, you won’t need to tug on your hiking boots or travel to a remote cabin in the woods in order to feel the benefits of forest bathing. Whether it’s a local park, a tree-lined street, or your own backyard, Focus and Flow will show you how to slow down, tune in, and use what’s around you to spark creativity, calm your nervous system, and reconnect with yourself.

Focus and Flow is your retreat from the everyday into a safe space where art and nature help you feel, heal and grow. 

Karen Olson will show you the power of combining nature-based practices with art, to heal through the creative process.

When trees converse, the air is charged with fragrances, hormones, and electrical connections. Placing myself in the middle of the conversation, I am illuminated by it. Exploring the intersection of human emotion and the natural world, I investigate how our connection with nature nurtures mental health and interpersonal communication. My passion lies in uncovering the scientific and soulful aspects of this relationship.

Inspired by hours on the trails near my home in Midcoast Maine, I transform these multi-sensory experiences into two- and three-dimensional works—intimate, immersive landscapes where viewers find respite and recovery.

My experience of trauma and loss informs my creative process. Through conceptual work, I explore grief, trauma, forest bathing, and the neuropsychology of creativity. As a lens-based artist, papermaker, and paper sculptor, I maintain open dialogue with materials and subjects—encouraging collaboration and interchange.

Certified as a Forest Therapy Guide, I lead walks and weave sensory experiences into workshops. As your fellow artist and mentor, I'm here to witness, support, and joyfully celebrate each and every step you take forward on this path of artistic discovery and growth!

Karen Olson Signature

 

Karen Olson Focus and Flow profile image of Karen
Karen Olson Focus and Flow 2

Your Focus & Flow journey: 

Karen Olson Focus and Flow Module 1 Forest Bathing

Module one: Finding comfort and support in nature.

When your nervous system is stuck in survival mode, beginning a new creative project can feel like trying to swim against the current. In this opening module, Karen shifts the focus away from the pressure of producing work, and toward making space for more presence in your life and art practice. 

 

In this module, you’ll:
  • Make your own handmade journal for self-reflection and creative play!
  • Practise forest bathing (shinrin-yoku) and calm your nervous system, settle your mind, and open yourself up to greater focus and flow. 
  • Tune into your senses and surroundings, and learn how to use nature to boost your creativity.
  • Strengthen your intuitive awareness with gentle prompts and nature-based mindfulness techniques.
  • Enjoy professionally-filmed, cinematic footage of a peaceful guided forest walk in Maine. 
Karen Olson Fovus and Flow Module 2

Module two: Addressing fear and overwhelm.

Fear doesn’t always show up as loud panic - sometimes it appears as hesitation, avoidance, self-doubt, or the urge to quit before you’ve even begun. In this module, Karen gently guides you into the deeper layers of fear and overwhelm, and shows you how these emotions - when acknowledged - can become powerful creative allies.

In this module, you’ll:
  • Learn how to allow space for fear in your art practice - without letting it take the lead.
  • Practice simple strategies to turn tough emotions into a catalyst for your creativity.
  • Start big-picture journaling and emotional note-taking as tools for creative clarity.
  • Build greater inner resilience and self-compassion through guided self-reflection.
  • Learn how to work with creative anxiety and use art as a safe, expressive space to honour what you're feeling.

 

Karen Olson Focus and Flow Module 3

Module three: Eco-art methods and creative flow.

Students often focus on the results of art-making, and that’s sometimes where they get stuck. What they don’t realise is that the process of art-making is where the healing happens. In this module, you’ll experience that process for yourself.

 
In this module, you’ll:
  • Practise eco-art therapy techniques as restorative, emotion-led approaches to creativity.
  • Set up the conditions for creative flow so you never have to wait for inspiration to strike.
  • Practise asemic writing and expressive mark-making as tools for emotional release.
  • Experiment with textured backgrounds using natural and found materials, and create layered compositions that reflect your inner world.
  • Learn Japanese stab binding and bring your pages together into a cohesive, expressive piece. 
Karen Olson Focus and Flow Module 4 Photography

Module four: Photography as a tool for mindfulness.

There’s a moment behind the lens, when everything else falls away; when your breath slows, your eyes soften, and you start to really see. In this module, Karen helps you discover photography not just as a technical skill, but as a mindful practice to add to your creative toolkit. 

 
In this module, you’ll: 
  • Get confident with the fundamentals of photography with Karen’s guide to camera types, lenses, and settings.
  • Deepen your mindfulness and creative practice with photography techniques that help you slow down and truly see.
  • Discover how to use manual mode to express mood, tone, and artistic intent.
  • Begin composing still life and landscape imagery that reflects your emotional landscape.
  • Build the skills to capture the world not just as it is - but as you experience it.
Karen Olson Focus and Flow Module 5

Module five: Printing on handmade and fine papers.

There’s something magical about the moment your image meets the perfect paper. The texture, weight, and fibres beneath the surface bring your work to life in ways no screen ever could. In this module, Karen shares her approach to working with fine art, handmade, and lightweight papers. 
 
In this module, you’ll: 
  • Construct your own handmade accordion book!
  • Learn the properties of handmade and fine papers, including weight, texture, translucency and fibre.
  • Explore which types of images pair best with each surface.
  • Use Canva or Lightroom to edit your images (under Karen’s guidance, it’ll be easy, we promise!)
  • Experiment with digital and alternative printing methods and discover techniques for printing on delicate, non-traditional surfaces. 
 
Karen Olson Focus and Flow Module 6 Papermaking

Module six: Papermaking.

There’s a quiet kind of joy in making your own paper - watching fibres transform beneath your hands, listening to water swirl and settle, feeling the rhythm of each pour and press. In this module, Karen guides you through the foundational tools, techniques, and materials of hand papermaking - from store-bought linters to wild-foraged fibres you can gather from your own environment. 
 
In this module, you’ll: 
  • Make your own handmade paper from natural and purchased fibres!
  • Set up a simple, effective papermaking space at home (even if you don’t have a studio space).
  • Practise drying, layering, and shaping techniques to create beautiful, tactile surfaces.
  • Explore methods like embossing, embedding, and weaving between pours.
  • Sculpt with abaca pulp to create dimensional forms from paper.
Karen Olson Focus and Flow Module 7

Module seven: Paper sculpture.

Paper isn’t just something you work on. It’s something you can build with. In this module, Karen shows you how to bring depth and dimension to your work using her own sculptural techniques.
 
In this module, you’ll:
  • Make your own paper sculptures and vessels!
  • Learn how to use paper as a sculptural material and practise construction methods for building dimensional forms.
  • Experiment with a variety of coatings.
  • Discover how different treatments change the feel, structure, and movement of your work
  • Bring together your skills from earlier modules to create a layered, expressive paper sculpture.
Karen Olson Focus and Flow Module 8 Courage

Module eight: Making time and finding courage.

Creativity isn’t something you have to chase, it’s something you can choose to make space for. In this final module, Karen guides you in shaping a creative life that feels nourishing and consistent.
 
In this module, you’ll:
  • Develop a sustainable, nature-based creative practice you can return to long after the course ends.
  • Learn how to recognise and move through creative resistance.
  • Build courage and trust in your unique artistic voice.
  • Reconnect with your sense of awe, curiosity, and wonder.
  • Create space in your life for art-making that’s fulfilling, honest, and meaningful.
Karen Olson Focus and Flow Bonus Module

Bonus module: Painting with fire.

Sometimes the most powerful tools in art are the ones that can’t be fully controlled. In this bonus module, Karen Olson invites you to explore the unpredictable beauty of flame - using fire as a creative tool to add depth, character, and emotion to your work.

In this module, you’ll:
  • Learn how to work safely with fire using a culinary torch and incense sticks.
  • Explore how different papers burn and respond to heat (including cattail, kozo, flax and teabag paper).
  • Practise burning, tearing, and altering printed images for expressive effect.
  • Use fire to accentuate texture, add contrast, or create symbolic marks in your work.
  • Reflect on the emotional power of fire — as metaphor, memory, and medium. 

Your Fibre Arts Take Two experience:

 

Focus and Flow with Karen Olson learn at your own pace

Learn at your own pace.

Once enrolled, you’ll have instant, lifetime access to the complete course. You can take your time, dig into the lessons that speak to you, and revisit Focus and Flow whenever you need.

I am so grateful for the platform you offer for being able to learn from teachers around the globe. The online format works wonders for me, for it enables me to go forward at my own pace. - Eline G.

Join a worldwide artist community.

Share your creations, be inspired by what others are making, and discover fresh perspectives to push your creative practice even further with lifetime access to our private online community.

The community has been such a blessing, and I’m honoured to see what everyone has created and shared continually.  – Eunice R.

Focus and Flow with Karen Olson online community
Focus and Flow with Karen Olson online chats

Live Q&As with Karen Olson.

These sessions are the perfect complement to your lessons and give you the guidance you need to keep progressing. The technology for these calls is incredibly user-friendly, too!

Enrol now, gather your supplies and start engaging with Karen for a full two months of guidance and support.

Printable PDF resource guides.

Within each module, you will receive detailed resource guides to accompany your video content.

The modules were delivered concisely and easy to follow with loads of information - great resource guides and the action tasks and ideas at the end consolidated very clearly a method pathway. – Bridget H.

Karen Olson Resource Guides mockup

Exhibit your mixed
media artwork.

Entering exhibitions is a key step in your artistic journey, and your enrolment includes the chance to showcase your work in a beautifully curated online exhibition enjoyed by thousands worldwide. A highlight of the Take Two experience, you can also opt for a printed exhibition book as a stunning keepsake.

View past student's work from a few of our other courses by clicking the book covers.

Realigned - Visual Narratives Student Exhibition-1
Capturing Moments - Embrace the Journey Student Exhibition-1

Say yes to a creative practice that supports your wellbeing, not just your art.

You don’t need to rush. You just need to begin. Ready?

A lifetime of learning and exploration awaits.

WHAT'S INCLUDED

  • 8 modules with individual video lessons

  • Comprehensive resource guides

  • 2 live Q&A sessions

  • 8 weeks of tutor engagement*

  • Lifetime access

  • *Private Facebook community

  • Learn at your own pace

  • Professionally filmed content

Today's Price

$398 USD

Payment plans
available at checkout

Karen Olson is a gifted empath who has deliberately honed her skills to bring out the authentic, artistic voices of her students. She creates workshop magic by curating a classroom atmosphere that encourages exploration and creative play. My time with Karen has led me to think about light and structure as I “feel” the elements rather than as I see them. 

- Astrig Tanguay

Karen is a talented artist who generously shares her expertise in a way that is both accessible and encouraging. Her approachable nature makes it easy to collaborate with her, and her positive attitude ensures that every session is enjoyable. She listens carefully, solve problems, and suggests thoughtful solutions that move my work forward.

- Fehmida Chipty

Karen is a marvellous teacher.  She’s always present for her students.  Her teaching is gentle and filled with positive encouragement. I am constantly surprised at the level of competence and skills she develops to make her work.

- Elizabeth Tranzillo

Karen Olson is a gifted empath who has deliberately honed her skills to bring out the authentic, artistic voices of her students. She creates workshop magic by curating a classroom atmosphere that encourages exploration and creative play. My time with Karen has led me to think about light and structure as I “feel” the elements rather than as I see them. 

- Astrig Tanguay

Karen is a talented artist who generously shares her expertise in a way that is both accessible and encouraging. Her approachable nature makes it easy to collaborate with her, and her positive attitude ensures that every session is enjoyable. She listens carefully, solve problems, and suggests thoughtful solutions that move my work forward.

- Fehmida Chipty

You’ll love Focus and Flow if:

You’re curious about papermaking, photography, or printing - but don’t know where to begin. This course is your chance to try expressive mixed media techniques like photography, making your own paper, printing on delicate surfaces, image transfer, and even painting with fire - all at your own pace.

You want to make art from a place of presence, not pressure. Through forest bathing, emotional expression, and restorative art-making, you’ll learn how to manage stress, overcome overwhelm, and build creative resilience from the inside out.

You want to create more consistently. Focus and Flow helps you build a creative practice that feels supportive and sustainable so you can keep showing up, even when life serves up chaos and curveballs.

You want to build a creative process that fills your day with more presence, wonder and joy. In Focus and Flow, you’ll learn how to move through your emotions instead of holding them in, and give yourself space to feel, heal and create.'

Still wondering, ‘Is Focus and Flow for me?’

You don’t need any special experience or artistic background to enjoy this course - just a curiosity for creativity, a love for nature, and an interest in photography, papermaking and paper sculpting.

Helpful FAQs
Have another question? We’re here to help! Please contact the Take Two team at support@fibreartstaketwo.com

As soon as you enrol you’ll get instant, lifetime access to the complete course.

Karen will be available in the student community Facebook group for live engagement between 5 May and 27 June 2025.

Karen Olson Focus and Flow profile image

 

 

Walk with me…

Together we will immerse ourselves in the forest's atmosphere, awakening our senses to the nuances of sight, sound, and touch. We'll open our hearts to our surroundings, inviting intuition and inspiration. Nature will serve as our guide, supporting our creative journey with its restorative presence.

Together, we will face our creative anxieties and fears, learn to cultivate flow, and discover the courage to create.

Together we will explore sustainable art mediums and learn to let the materials take the lead.

Together we will explore freely and celebrate the power of collaboration and community.

Walk with me…

Along the rocky coastal trails of Midcoast Maine, feeling the embrace of fragrant pine forests enveloped in solace and assurance.

Walk with me…

Together, let's reconnect with our wild side, build a beautiful partnership with nature, and discover fresh ways to weave our personal stories along with the natural world.

Focus and Flow with Karen Olson Artwork

 

Enrolment is limited and will close on 5 May 2025.

Looking for something different?
Take a look at the other online art courses we have available!

0 people
are viewing this site
0 people
viewed this page
in the last