David Olson was born in the middle of the longest night 1973 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Young David's natural predilection to play in and around dirt, mud and sand quickly earned him the nickname "Dirty Dave". Upon gaining sufficient dexterity to strike a match, it became clear that for better or for worse, he had inherited the Olson gene for pyrotechnics. After surviving a happy childhood full of sand castles, burning sand castles and other pointless, but endlessly fascinating experiments with fire of all kinds, Dave finally found a legitimate reason to build stuff and burn it when he enrolled in ceramics class at Minneapolis South High. Infected with the creative enthusiasm and integrity of teacher John Kantar, Dave soon became proficient in the basic techniques of hand building, wheel throwing and glazing. Mr. Kantar fostered a deeper questioning of aesthetic assumptions and values through carefully considered assignments and provided a broad exposure to the wide world of ceramics artists both through class films (Maria Martinez, Shoji Hamada, Bernard Leach et al.) and in-class workshops (Tim Crane, Victoria Christen, Elaine Woldersky et al.). As high school drew to a close and life decisions loomed, the choice seemed quite clear to Dave: a career in ceramics where you get to bring form to your imagination, start big hot fires and are always covered in mud.

Drawn to professors, Mark Pharis and Curt Hoard, Dave decided to attend the University of Minnesota where he received instruction in the advanced techniques of mold making, kiln building, salt and wood firing and glaze chemistry--not to mention drawing, photography, print making and color theory. After five years under the wing (or was that an armpit?) of the old, now demolished art building, Dave cut loose with a B.F.A. in studio arts with a ceramics focus.

A quick ascent into the vacuum of rock n' roll stardom immediately followed college as Dave rocketed to the top of the Minneapolis club scene with his band The Sensational Joint Chiefs. After several years of countless live appearances, singing and playing his trumpet on such hits as "You the Man", recording two self-produced albums, winning "Best R 'n' B" Band of 1997 and 1998" awards, co-founding a record label and playing side-projects like "Fresh Squeeze" and "The Dijonettes", Dave suddenly realized that he wasn't making ceramics anymore.