Dear Art Producer: Mary Olson

With each episode, Dear Art Producer aims to bridge the gap between the photography and advertising communities, offering invaluable insights and fostering a sense of camaraderie among industry professionals. This week I sat down with Mary Olson, Studio Director at CALCIUM+COMPANY.

Mary has a passion for problem-solving and as Studio Director, her primary responsibility is to combine the instincts of a designer with the skills of an engineer to produce a perfect execution of each project she gets. She has a respect for the process and is skilled at communication and working well under pressure. Her previous clients include Ferrari, Anthropologie, Sony, Philadelphia Magazine, Boston University, The Philadelphia Eagles and many many more.

Falling Into It: From Fine Art to Science and Beyond
Mary’s career path is anything but linear—and she embraces that. What started as a fine art photography major at RIT quickly pivoted toward a surprising interest in scientific photography, specifically photomicrography. Despite being told it was a difficult field to enter, the exposure to multiple facets of photography—technical, biological, and artistic—ignited a love of interdisciplinary work.

Her first job after college wasn’t in photography at all but in silk screen printing. From there, she moved into manufacturing, taking on pre-press work. Even though it wasn’t a design job, she saw the opportunity to learn. It was in these environments that she developed a fascination with process—understanding how things are made, from start to finish.

Learning by Doing—and Mistakes
What Mary found most fulfilling was problem-solving: helping figure out how to make an idea real and discovering multiple ways to do it. Her manufacturing experience taught her how to be resourceful and creative, and that making mistakes was an invaluable teacher. By moving through seven departments at one company over eight years, she gained deep insight into how interconnected each role is and how one mistake could ripple across a production line.

Her desire not to specialize led her from manufacturing to publishing, then into science, working in immunology at Temple’s College of Pathology. Realizing it wasn’t the right fit, she returned to creative production—eventually landing in agency life, where variety and unpredictability became the norm.

Blending Design Instincts with Engineering Skills
Mary describes her role as one that combines the instincts of a designer with the practicality of an engineer. Her deep production knowledge allows her to troubleshoot creatively and help teams solve problems—whether that’s reengineering a printed piece or working around a production limitation. Her value lies in her ability to guide creative teams toward feasible solutions without sacrificing vision, all while understanding the consequences of decisions down the line.

Being the Life Raft
On her teams, Mary is known as the person who “figures it out.” She fosters independence while providing support when someone is stuck. Her decisiveness, shaped by years of hands-on experience, makes her a steady presence in high-pressure environments—especially in the healthcare space, where mistakes are not an option. Whether mentoring or collaborating, she steps in as a calming, knowledgeable presence when things get uncertain.

AI, Comps, and the Return of the Sketch
Mary also weighed in on how the industry is changing, particularly with the rise of AI. While AI-generated comps can be visually stunning and useful in early concepting, they often set unrealistic expectations. Creatives may feel trapped by the perfection of AI images, unable to recreate them in real life and unsure how to manage client expectations.

She reflects nostalgically on the era of hand-drawn comps and sketches. Unlike highly polished mockups, these sketches left room for interpretation and client collaboration. Mary shared an inspiring example of a creative director who reintroduced this approach—bringing only pencil sketches to client meetings. The simplicity of this method encouraged buy-in and partnership from the start, leading to smoother processes and stronger creative outcomes.

Leaving Room for Interpretation
Mary believes we’ve lost some of the collaborative magic by relying too heavily on final-looking comps. Clients fall in love with a specific pose or lighting before the real shoot or design even begins. She advocates for bringing ambiguity and openness back into early presentations to leave room for creativity and evolution. The more we can treat the process as a journey with space to explore, the better the end result.

Embracing CGI and Cinemagraphs in Healthcare Marketing

Mary shares her recent experience using CGI in a healthcare shoot focused on osteoporosis. She discusses how layering CGI into photography can add dimension and explain her growing interest in cinemagraphs as a cost-effective alternative to full-blown animation—especially for clients with limited budgets or existing artwork that needs subtle motion-based updates.

“It’s been interesting to see how each vendor tackles things differently—even with the same concept, they come back with these amazing, unique interpretations. I learn from every single bid I send out.”

Staying Curious and Open to New Approaches

Curiosity is a recurring theme in the conversation. Mary reflects on how each new collaboration teaches her something and how valuable it is to remain inquisitive and open to learning from different artists and vendors.

How Artists Connect With Mary

Mary shares how LinkedIn has become a major channel for incoming connections—especially as job titles shift. She reflects on how certain industries (like textiles, medicine, and now healthcare) seem to attract specific types of outreach based on her listed role.

“Since adding ‘producer’ and ‘studio director’ to my LinkedIn, I’ve had a lot more automatic outreach that just floods my inbox.”

The Value of a Broad Vendor Network

Mary emphasizes the importance of keeping her options open and having a diverse roster of artists and vendors—especially those who specialize in animation or CGI. Even within a single specialty, different artists bring unique value, and having a broad mix allows for thoughtful curation based on a project’s needs.

“You could have 10 different animation vendors, and each one brings something distinct that can make a project really special.”

How Mary Finds Talent for New Projects

When starting a new project—whether it's photography, motion, or a hybrid with CGI—the process often begins with a visual brief and a personal outreach. Mary says she relies on a curated vendor list she's maintained since 2006, as well as word-of-mouth recommendations and online searches.

Collaborating With the Creative Team

The process is highly collaborative, involving the creative team in selecting talent. Mary values input from those closest to the client to help determine the best fit for a project—not just in terms of budget, but in ensuring the message is communicated effectively.

What I Want to See on an Artist’s Website

Mary shares practical advice for artists on how to make their websites more helpful—and what common things she finds annoying.

It's important to label work by industry or category on your website (e.g., “Healthcare,” “Animation”) to avoid confusing non-creative decision-makers.
Curated portfolio links are more effective than general website links—share what’s most relevant first.
Let the client explore further if they want, but guide their first impression strategically.
An “Overview” portfolio is useful to show range and vibe, but individual, industry-specific portfolios are essential.
It’s okay if images repeat across multiple sections. Most clients won’t click through every portfolio, so make each one strong enough to stand alone.
Repetition can help viewers reframe and better understand how work fits in multiple categories.

One photographer had a portfolio feature where the viewer could create a custom contact sheet by selecting favorite images.
That curated PDF was easy to share with teams, keeping the presentation focused and relevant.
Unique tools like this add value and make it easier to sell an artist’s work internally.

Treatments: Loved, But Also Bittersweet

Treatments are valuable and loved by creative teams—they help sell the vendor internally.
However, they require a lot of work and only one artist gets the job, which can be disheartening.
The guest avoids asking for treatments too early in the process, especially if the client is likely to change direction multiple times.
Timing is key—wait until there’s more clarity before asking for that level of commitment.

Awarding the Project: Communication is Key

Time-sensitive decisions are challenging, but transparency is critical.
The guest prefers to talk with artists directly during the final selection process—even if they’re not chosen—so they can offer feedback.
These conversations build trust and help artists improve for future opportunities.
One of the biggest frustrations is when the final decision isn’t theirs to make, even if they know who the best fit is.