Ola Volo’s Painted Worlds

In a world where concrete walls whisper and city streets breathe, Ola Volo paints stories that cannot be contained by frames. Her work begins not with a brush, but with a memory—a girl in Kazakhstan, surrounded by Central Asian myths, drawing from the stories passed down like heirlooms. These stories were not just told; they lived in colour, rhythm, and shape. From this foundation, a visual storyteller was born, destined to turn the world into her canvas.

Volo’s journey from those rich folkloric roots to Canada’s urban arteries reveals an artist who sees more than what is simply there. A graduate of Emily Carr University of Art + Design, she emerged with a signature style that defies convention.

Part muralist, part illustrator, all alchemist, she fuses human figures, animals, architecture, and elements of nature into ornate compositions that shimmer with multicultural symbolism. Each line dances. Each character speaks. Each mural becomes a realm of its own—teeming with life, layered with meaning, and open to every passerby.

Her murals are among the largest in Canada, yet their intimacy defies scale. They turn alleyways into portals and facades into open books. Painted in bold colours and intricate detail, her characters do not merely decorate public spaces—they animate them, conjuring curiosity, wonder, and dialogue in communities from Vancouver to Vienna.

But Volo’s practice extends beyond walls and into the realms of fashion, commerce, and activism. Her work has graced the surfaces of global giants—Louis Vuitton, Starbucks, Lululemon, and Volkswagen among them—proof that her visual language resonates across cultures and industries. Yet for all her commercial success, her heart remains rooted in storytelling as a force for change. Her collaborations with women’s organizations are acts of visual advocacy—artworks that lend form and colour to the voices so often unheard.

In every medium, Ola Volo paints not just what she sees, but what she knows: that stories connect us. That symbols speak. That beauty can carry the weight of history, identity, and imagination. Through her ever-evolving murals and illustrations, she invites us to enter her world—not as spectators, but as fellow storytellers in the vibrant gallery of life. Follow on Instagram @olavolo