In 1936 he began to study engineering, graduating after three years and went on to study painting. The war interrupted his education and it was not until he was demobilised, in the UK, between 1947 and 1950, that he completed his art studies at the Manchester School of Art. He had an exhibition at Manchester Mid-Day Studios in 1948 and at the Polish Art Club in Manchester in 1950. The artist painted Our Lady of Czestochowa for Manchester St. Alban's Church and Saint Barbara for St. John the Baptist Church in Cardiff.

The artist emigrated to Canada in 1951. He took up gainful employment as a draughtsman in a textile factory and at the same time became an active organiser of the social and cultural life of the Montreal Polish community and the Canadian environment. In 1959, with the support of Denise Rowan, a wealthy and influential person, and with the help of the painter Daniela Agopsowicz, Olesko-Ferworn organised the first summer painting plein-air in Rawdon, making the small town an important centre for the arts: "It has now become a tradition that an exhibition of paintings is held annually in the suburban summer resort of Rawdon, organised by the visual artist Alexander Olesko-Ferworn. The exhibition opened at the Town Hall with fourteen painters, among them three Poles: Olesko-Ferworn, Daniela Agopsowicz, J.P. Szczepanek from Australia" (The Unionist). The artist was elected president of the Rawdon Art Circle, which brings together 25 artists from different countries.

In 1967, the artist graduated from McGill University and received a degree in science. On the occasion of the 1000th anniversary of Christianity in Polish lands, the Canadian Polish Congress organised an exhibition: Polish Millenium Art Exhibition at McGill University, curated by Olesko-Ferworn: "80 paintings by the most famous late Polish masters of painting were on display. The paintings came from private collections" (Jurkszus-Tomaszewska). The editors of Głos Polski visited the painter at home: "Our artist's flat and studio are a huge gallery. 150 framed and 350 unframed paintings. From abstract, through watercolours, woodcuts, portraits, cut-outs" (Gł.P. 1969).

In 1973, the summer painting plein-air in Rawdon, a permanent art event on the Quebec map, grouped 150 works by seventeen artists of different ethnic groups. In the same year, the artist was awarded the Golden Cross of Merit by the Polish Government in Exile. In 1975, Olesko-Ferworn and Daniela Agopsowicz had a joint exhibition, Peintings-Drawings, at the Montreal branch of the SPK. In 1976. 'an exhibition of paintings at the Windsor Hotel. Purpose: to promote the work of Polish artists in the province of Quebec; to launch the Cultural and Educational Fund. The event was directed by Aleksander Oleśko-Ferworn. Paintings were donated by D. Agopsowicz, S. Kątski, Z. Suchodolski. The raffle brought in $900 in income" (Jurkszus-Tomaszewska).

In 1978, as part of the Polish Week, associated with the Canadian Polish Congress-Polonia of Tomorrow-Polonia of Tomorrow, Oleśko-Ferworn participated in an exhibition of 30 artists prepared at the University of Toronto. In addition to oil painting, the artist painted in watercolours and drew pastels, did woodcuts, cut-outs and made ceramics. Favourite themes in his paintings were landscape, portrait and flowers. He was a continuation of the Post-Impressionists. Olesko-Ferworn was honoured by Rawdon City Hall for his contribution to Canadian fine arts.

Even after his death, his work was presented in 1992 in a group exhibition at Toronto City Hall, organised by the Canadian Polish Research Institute. Olesko-Ferworn's paintings are held in private collections in Canada, the United States, the United Kingdom and Poland.

Work in catalogue
Aleksander Olesko-Ferworn, sketch, watercolour on paper, signed [A. Olesko Ferworn 1975] on the lower right corner, 20 x 12 cm. Landscape - view from the shore to the water and the other shore. Just an outline of greenery on the shore, on the island and on the other side. A luminous landscape, sky, green and water. Delicacy of colours and their transparency.