Former Mondovi resident releases new book
by Beth Kraft
A recently-published book and art created by a former Mondovi resident will be on display at an upcoming event in Eau Claire.
Priscillamae Olson, who lived on a farm in rural Buffalo County in the late 1940s, will give a book talk entitled “The Face of Poverty and Learning to Keep Your Heart Wide Open” and invites the public to view her watercolor paintings at a free event set to take place next Thursday, Sept. 24, at the Riverwood Gallery, 3402 Mall Drive (Hwy. 93), from 2 - 7 p.m.
Olson will discuss her book, The End of the Road—Full Circle Home, and its central theme which concerns the positive and negative effects of poverty.
“This book is really a testament of my immersion into poverty,” says Olson, who dedicated the publication to her parents, Forrest and Laura Mewhorter. “It’s an effort to bring to everyone’s attention the effects of poverty.”
Olson and her parents lived at the farm on County Highway B in her early teen years, during which she attended the Sheldon Valley School.
Olson says her book, released Aug. 25 by Tate Publishing, is rich in faith, love, hope, and versatility, as she shares her memories of growing up on the Buffalo County farm.
Holding aspirations and goals, no matter what the challenges are, and finding ways to achieve them is also an important message, Olson says.
“We all experience bumps in the road and sometimes boulders, but we learn to go up and around them and come out on the other side and not give up in the process,” she shared.
In addition to her work as a writer, Olson is also an accomplished artist.
She works mainly in watercolor and often gives workshops on the subject. She has also been known to create mixed media pieces melding acrylic and watercolor paints.
When sharing her writing and artwork, Olson notes she strives to involve and engage the reader or the viewer to start an “internal dialogue” about the piece.
Copies of The End of the Road—Full Circle Home will be available at the event and can be signed by Olson. The book is also available at many local bookstores and on amazon.com.
